In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Fernanda is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
ESSAY CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT
For the past two years, photographer Ana Carolina Fernandes coexisted within a transvestite community, spending time in a large house where they live in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro.
This time of familiarity, complicity and trust diluted any kind of pre-judgment one could possibly have about this community, which is invariably stigmatized by society.
In this photographic essay, life pulses in citrus colors and in the delusional imaginary of these boys and women, who don’t allow themselves to be ranked by inaccurate demarcations. These photographs tell us about the permanent search for identity and happiness, two points that connect us all, without any distinction of gender or social class.
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Shaw is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Nathiele is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Aline is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Valeria and Shaw live are soime of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Valeria is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Tiazinha is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Tiazinha is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Patricia is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
The objective of this work was not only to give a voice to a group of people who are excluded from society but also to show the sensuality and beauty in bodies that are both masculine and feminine at the same time.
This essay was published in the Brazilian magazine Piauí. It is currently on exhibit in a gallery in Rio de Janeiro.
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Sheila is one of them. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
In an old house in the neighborhood of Lapa, in Rio de Janeiro, live and work as prostitutes, about 25 tranvestites. Photo: Ana Carolina Fernandes
Bio
Ana Carolina Fernandes, Brazilian, works as a freelance photographer for newspapers, magazines, and international news agencies.
From 2008 to 2012 she developed personal projects, and authored and created documentary pieces such as the book “PRAINHA” and the essay MEM De Sa 100 about transvestites in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro.
Related links
Ana Carolina Fernandes
I like how she uses the colors, the shadows and movement…
Remember me (bridging the gap…) the Pep Bonet´s work, Forced Identity:
http://pepbonet.com/2008/05/portfolio/honduras-forced-identity-hivaids/
Congrats for the work!
So happy to see Ana is around .. Im big fan of Ana .. for your journey from the finest press to her personal projects who carries so much of the meaning “personal”..Bodies and souls proves that and had all my attention and “wow” since the first time I took a look at this piece.. the colors, palletes, balance,sensitiveness, the feminine, the intimacy, the approach and access to witness life and beauty and confidence. Besides of the professional side, Ana is a reference on humbleness, humanity, generosity :) Right now being again a big star being published everywhere while covering the riots in Rio…a signature you cant ignore. Congrats Ana..really happy you made it to Burn!
Ana was at the workshop David had in Rio. I saw the work there and it is great to see it on Burn. Parabens Ana…..
Amazing the experiment where the true intimacy of photographing with transvestites overflows in every picture.
Shocking, poetic, exciting and gorgeous
The photos are emotional paintings.
The colors, the bodies, the shadows, all is cozy
at the same time reminds me of the color and intensity of Frida Kahlo
Beautiful,Lush and cinematic work. I can almost feel the air and heat !
Love this essay, despite the theme was not so original… I like the language and the choice to use colours instead of (the usual) BW.
congrats
Amazing use of color and light to tell an old story of human desire and turmoil. The opening shot is a total knockout. Makes a guy want to meet that girl – and yet, he’s not a girl. Or is she?
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frostfrog
she is a girl… :)
lovely color..
and the lighting…
or lack of….
nice…
***
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Absolutely stunning; light, shadow and colour. Just sensational work.
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