'Wasteland' is definitely one of those movies that make me look at the things I take for granted. I put myself in their shoes and I can honestly say that I would not be able to do what they do. I remember being in Vietnam and seeing a site that was the same as Jardim Gramacho. I saw a lot of kids my age with younger siblings.
What really touched me was the community within Gramacho. I found myself giggling at many of the kind and joking gestures they made at each other, despite their situations. I could see the hope they were all holding onto. The hope that their children will have better and one day they will not have to do what they are doing. Rather than going to drugs and prostitution, their honest form of living and working is absolutely admiring. I think the movie scratches only the surface of these types of stories, but it was inspiring nonetheless.
The artworks represented beauty, dignity, and respect, a reflection of all those at Gramacho. I'm pretty sure I almost cried when Isis was talking about how she never wanted to return to Gramacho. I could feel the frustration and sadness coming off the screen. I was glad that a project like this was done. Art is amazing. Art doesn't just have to be pretty, perfect, or appropriate. It can be dark, different, or controversial. As long as a meaning was taken from the art, then I think that is the most important thing. I think art is a great medium for better understanding. It was through Vik Muniz's artwork that the picker's stories were understood. It told a stories of dedication, hard work, and dignity.
I too almost cried when Isis was talking about how she never wanted to return to Gramacho. But I think her situation is similar to a lot of people in the US in a way. For example, when people have grown up in a bad neighborhood and when they grow up they leave and never come back. I liked that you said art can be dark. From a non-artist view, we usually only see the pretty colors when we look at art, we rarely ever see the dark side or pain that influenced the art. I'm glad we were able to better get an understanding on how people can change art.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't imagine doing what they did either. It was heartbreaking to see the work they were doing in the dump. You're right about the 'community' among them. I think that the commonality is what built that community and that the art really brought them together on a bigger level by helping build hope. The art showed them that they could be bigger than what they were at that point in their life, and that they were making the best decisions in their lives with what they had available.
ReplyDelete-Krystal Hasselmeier