"Filmed over nearly three years, 'WASTE LAND' follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores" - or self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both dignity and despair as the catadores begin to re-imagine their lives. Walker ('DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND', 'BLINDSIGHT') has great access to the entire process and, in the end, offers stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit."
Somewhat surprisingly, I had never heard of Vik Muniz, before going to see this documentary. I am intrigued by his work, not just the subject matter, but the materials used to create them. In the past he has created works out of such things as sugar, syrup, and other unlikely materials. "Muniz questions the nature and traditions of visual representation by ingeniously using unlikely materials to 'draw' the subjects of his conventional gelatin-silver prints." His work reminds me a bit of Stefan Sagmeister, who is also a master of creations with unusual stuff. If you have an opportunity to see this film wherever you are, GO!
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