A documentary photographer in constant movement, nilo2anjos dedicates himself to building a visual memory of the people, gestures, and landscapes of deep Brazil. Since October 2022, he has been living a long-term project along the banks of the São Francisco River, work that has already resulted in his first solo exhibition and defines his pursuit of a record that goes beyond the image, becoming testimony.
The image “The Junk Room“, a finalist in the Single Image category of the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025, is a time capsule loaded with meaning. Taken in 2016 in Beco do Sururu, a riverside community in Recife that was later destroyed by a fire, the photograph captures the moment when children play before graffiti featuring the iconic phrase by Carolina Maria de Jesus. More than a composition, the image is the record of a transformative encounter that led the photographer to discover the writer’s history, and perfectly symbolizes his mission to rescue and preserve narratives at risk of being erased.
In the following interview, nilo2anjos talks about this decisive moment, his immersion in the Velho Chico (Old Francisco River), and his plans to transform this extensive visual archive into exhibitions and a book.
Entre a canoa solitária e os prédios ao fundo, o rio costura dois mundos que mal se olham. O reflexo na água une o que a margem separa: o urbano e o ribeirinho, o presente e o ancestral. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025A canoa aguarda o tempo do rio. A curva da margem desenha um gesto natural, onde pedra, areia e água se entrelaçam. Nenhuma pressa — apenas o repouso da paisagem diante do que ainda virá. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025Duas gerações costuram memória à porta de casa. Nas mãos, o gesto ancestral; no azul das paredes, os ecos do rio e da vida. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025
How old are you? Where do you currently live and work?
I am 57 years old. I live and work in the field, moving along the São Francisco River since October 2022 as part of a long-term documentary project. At the moment, I’m on a brief break and living in Recife.
Tell us about your journey in photography. When did you start photographing and why? What role does photography play in your life?
I started in 2013, with selections and publications that led me to focus increasingly on documentary and street photography. I’ve won awards and participated in collective exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and Belo Horizonte, with works published in media outlets. In 2025, I held my first solo exhibition at FLIPENEDO, titled “Moments – São Francisco River.”
Photography, for me, is testimony. It is the means through which I record people, gestures, and landscapes of deep Brazil and/or major urban centers and their daily life, building visual memory rather than just images.
Mãos puxam rede, olhos lançam fé. Na beira do São Francisco, a pesca é um gesto antigo que mistura sustento e esperança, entre barcos coloridos e promessas no horizonte. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025Cavaleiros e cavalos em transe, sob o sol e o pó. Um balé coletivo onde o homem e o bicho são um só no rito da terra. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025Um crânio seco sorri à beira da estrada. Atrás, o caminhão-pipa carrega promessa líquida ao sertão. No chão, o embate antigo: a morte espera, debocha; a água, às vezes, tarda. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025
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 was taken in 2016 in Beco do Sururu, a riverside community in Recife that was destroyed by a fire in 2022. I was accompanying a colleague on a report about the chikungunya outbreak affecting vulnerable populations, especially in the Northeast. While walking through alleyways and talking to residents, I saw children playing in front of graffiti with the phrase “The favela is the junk room” and the signature of Carolina Maria de Jesus. I was 49 years old and had never heard of her. I researched and was amazed by her story and by the erasure of her name from my educational background. The power of that encounter struck me instantly, and I took the photo. The work fits naturally into my documentary production, focused on people, culture, and territory.
What projects are you currently working on? What are your near-future plans for photographic production?
I continue to expand the series on the Velho Chico, deepening characters and contexts along the river. The next steps include new exhibitions and the organization of a book. On the professional front, I maintain the possibility of commercial work when necessary, but the focus remains on long-term documentary projects.
No nascer do dia, um homem ergue a mão ao barco que passa. Cumprimento, ritual, promessa de pesca. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025
O canoeiro rema contra a luz líquida do poente. Corpo, rio e sol: tudo vibra em ouro breve. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025Um cavalo bebe sombra na beira da poça. A luz se inclina no sertão e o dia escorre devagar pelo chão seco. Ali, o tempo repousa entre reflexo e sobrevivência. – Imagem do Portfólio Da foz à nascente, de nilo2anjos, selecionado no Prêmio Portfólio FotoDoc 2025
