Gabriela Fernandes: On the Tracks of Time, the Dancing Heritage

How old are you? Where do you currently live and work?

I am 32 years old and I live in Cunha, in the interior of São Paulo. I have a degree in Graphic Design, with a specialization in Cultural Anthropology, and I work as a creative director in my studio, where I develop design and animation projects. In parallel, I run Percurso Vivo, an itinerant authorial project for research and documentation – through photography and documentary – of the festivals and manifestations of Brazilian popular culture.

Tell us about your journey in photography. When did you start photographing and why? What role does photography play in your life?

My first photography lesson was at 13 years old, in a school workshop. I remember the teacher, a photojournalist, taught us the rules so that we could break them. He said we should hold the camera firmly, and he challenged us to see beyond what was in front of our eyes. We could photograph however we wanted – as long as there was intention.

Almost twenty years later, I remain completely in love with photography and seek to see beyond what is visible. In recording Brazilian cultural manifestations, I found my purpose, where I can, in some way, help perpetuate and safeguard fragments of our culture. Today, documentary photography occupies a central place in my life. Any opportunity to document is non-negotiable – be it at a Folia de Reis, a Festa de São Benedito, or any celebration that keeps the collective memory alive.

Tell us about your finalist work for the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025. When and where was it created? What is its concept? How does it fit into your photographic practice?

The photograph “Ancestral Future” was taken in Aparecida (SP), during the Festa de São Benedito – the largest gathering of congadas in the State of São Paulo. It is part of research I have been conducting for over three years, dedicated to documenting Brazilian cultural manifestations.

In the image, on the train tracks, as if on a timeline, a congadeiro father carries his son, also dressed in the congada attire. Those who are present in the photo are not just father and son, but all those who came before them, keeping the traditions alive as an act of resistance.

What projects are you currently working on? What are your near-future plans for photographic production?

My main project today is Percurso Vivo, in which I document, through photographs and documentaries, the manifestations of Brazilian popular culture. My goal is to increasingly expand this mapping, reaching celebrations that are still little known, to reveal and share with the world all the richness and beauty of Brazil.