Miguel Rio Branco

Miguel Rio Branco takes direct, often brutal or graphic photos of Brazilian society, exploring themes of bestiality, prostitution, and violence. He is particularly drawn to sites of contrast, an interest he explored most explicitly with his 1985 book Dulce Sudor Amargo, in which he juxtaposed images of historical Salvador de Bahia with images of its sensual side—prostitutes and other fringe members of society. Rio Branco sees his work as a series of non-linear thematic explorations and doubts that photography can be both documentary and artistic. “To me art is a question of: first, having something to say from the inside that has nothing to do with the description of reality, reality being just the material thing that the camera captures,” he has said. “I…create images that, when related to others in specific constructions, make sense, create rhythms, and bring emotions to the surface.”

Brazilian, b. 1946, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sources:
Photo: http://cultura.estadao.com.br/noticias/geral,miguel-rio-branco-enfatiza-conexoes-da-fotografia-com-outras-areas,1158212
Text: https://www.artsy.net/artist/miguel-rio-branco