When you are at the right place at the right time, everything goes pretty fast. I´m having my first green Sangria the first day I arrive in Portugal, when the owners of that lovely place, a young couple ask me over to have a chat at their table. We talk for hours with some other Sangrias till the sun goes down. When I tell them that I´m an artist on tour through Europe, they immediately connect me to a friend who runs this organization of private people giving food to the homeless or needier people of Porto. They want to give something back, three times a week at three different places 15 helpers come with their cars filled up with cakes, coffee and a warm soups for the homeless .
However, I get the contact of the president, who invites me to join them with the camera the next time they make their tour.
When I agree I already know, that I don´t want to make another series of showed off homeless.
I decide to portray all people that meet that day next to the bus station underneath the bridge at the Mercado bom success ( what an irony I think, that it´s called like that), some of them hand out food, some of them wait in line to receive some help.
I let them sit down and I ask them to close their Eyes. I say - "Faça um desejo" (make a wish) and when I see how their mimic changes, I ask them to open their eyes again.
I wanted to capture their silent dream, their hope for whatever desire.
We change the location three times that night and wherever I put my mobile studio, people come to get captured by me. I am happy, that I was able to make them hold on their dreams for a moment and capture the physical effect of it on their faces.
Out of respect I will not mention who of these people got food and who´s apart of the organization. It´s only about the belief of a better place in our minds where all these dreams come true and that we can only build it through initiatives done by ourselves. Thanks to all participants and special thanks to Ana Paula Quintas.
Abra os olhos - Open your eyes
