Antonello Veneri

Concept

Men and Vultures is a photographic project about life in garbage dump of Iguatu, Brazil. Installed in 1989 the Iguatu dump is saturated. So full, the debris already occupies the side of the Highway CE-282. A few meters from the lane that leads to the city of Iguatu, the presence of the dump causes bad impressions to those who pass the road and the damage caused to the environment is visible.The local population faces allergic and respiratory problems. We suffer from this situation, sometimes we cannot even breathe because of the smoke, complains Dona Joana, a resident of the neighborhood of Vila Cajazeiras. The dump contains organic and inorganic debris. Garbage collectors live in a shantytown next to the garbage dump. The vultures are important allies of the workers. They (the vultures) eat carrion and organic remains and avoid serious diseases for us, explains Ze Luiz, a garbage collector.

Vita

Antonello Veneri was born in Italy in 1973 and since 2009 he lives and works in Brazil. He collaborates with France Press(AFP) and published in many newspapers and magazines (La Repubblica, National Geographic Italia, National Geographic Brasil, Folha de São Paulo, Il Corriere della Sera, Vice, Carta Capital, O Globo, Yorokobu, etc..).

Veneri collaborated for many years with the Lua Nova (ngo of São Paulo), with AVSI (ngo of Milano) and the Brazilian Ministry of Health (Fiocruz) in projects of social documentation and with Photos Agency Coofiav.

Since 2011 Antonello Veneri works on personal projects, “Urban Fishermen” about the last jangadeiros of Fortaleza, “As Monxtras” about drag queens of Bahia, "Lifes extra-ordinaries", about homeless people and "Interiores," portraits of families in the shantytown and suburbs of the cities.

Veneri was awarded with: Getty Images Brazil (2013), Paraty em Foco Brazil (2013), Latinoamericano Photo Documental (Medellin, Colombia) 2013 e 2014, National Geographic Award (2014), Persio Galembeck Award(2016), two IPA award (international photography award 2016), finalist in Lugano Photodays(2016) and the report on Salvador Bahia was selected among the best of Lensculture Street Photography 2016.

Two Canon Brazil awards "Celebrações", "Retratos" (2017). Canon Brasil award "Um outro lugar"(2018), HIPA prize(2018).

Actually with two photo exhibitions in USA: “Mare de Dentro” at Brown University and Bard College.