© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos Na Luta'

Where did you grow up?

Tommaso Rada (TR): I am from Biella, a small city between Turin and Milan near the Alps; when I was 19, I moved to Bologna to attend University. From 2005 to 2016, I lived in Braga in the north of Portugal; since 2016, I have lived in São Paulo, Brazil. For a different reason, Biella and Bologna had a significant role in who I am. Biella is the classical small town in the countryside, a former hub of textile production, with divided social classes (at least at the time I lived there) and not much space for alternative thinking. A place of contradiction: the Nazi-Fascist Resistance was vast in the area, but the city is a center-right wing, for example. It is also a middle land between the plain, the Pianura Padana, and the Alps mountains. Biella stands in the between, giving its back to the fields of melancholic and romantic rice cultures and looking at the majestic mountains. I always felt there is a fascinating and sad landscape at the same time, which affects the area's people. On the other hand, Bologna has been the city of the discovering: theatre shows, independent cinemas, dance, and photography all in a middle-age scenario.

When did you approach photography?

TR: I studied Biology in Bologna, and I managed to get a Ph.D. in Tissue Engineering. When I finished it, I decided I wanted to become a professional photographer, quit the research, and start my career as a photographer. During the university, I started hanging out with friends of the Art School and contacted the camera; soon, taking pictures became an obsession. As soon as I started shooting my first reportages, I felt something missing, and I decided to attend professional photographic workshops. I quickly understood that I wanted to take pictures to tell stories, show other realities, and, of course, have a perfect excuse to follow my curiosity. I started to contribute with several photo agencies, which were very useful to understand how the photographic world was working, mainly the photojournalistic one. Today, I guess I could say I am a “slow documentary photographer.” I like to approach geographical issues, places I know, or where I am living. For this in the last years, I mostly worked in Brazil or Europe. I am interested in social and economic topics and their correlation with the territory.

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

Tell us more about your approach?

TR: Each project is different, but generally, I start researching when I get an idea from previous work, short news on newspapers, or just speaking with people. I look for articles, NGO and government reports, Academic thesis, everything that could help me better understand the topic and plan the work in the field. Then I start thinking about developing the project (medium or large format, chapters or one narrative, etc.). After this first step, I start contacting the communities or subjects I want to include in the project, and finally, I go to the places to photograph. The times vary a lot, making some examples: in a previous project named 'Domestic Borders of Europe' on the Schengen borders where I was shooting in European countries (Portugal/Spain, Spain/France, etc.), the preparation of each trip was taking around 1/2 months and the fieldwork around one month. For 'Estamos na Luta,' studying the topic and finding the Quilombos I wanted to document got me around 3/4 months. Other months to finding the contacts for each community, building trust with the Communities Leaders, and agreeing with the people when and how I would photograph. Finally, I photographed for a couple of weeks. The interaction with the subjects is different according to the project. With 'Estamos na Luta,' it was fundamental: in each community I visited and documented, I have been hosted for at least one week in the house of one of their members. Thus from the beginning, it was essential to be accepted by the Quilombolas. The main body of the project focused on the daily life of the Quilombolas. So it was necessary to understand the dynamics inside the community quickly, their point of view (the research done before gave a glimpse but not the whole story), and be accepted in their daily routine to document it.

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

When did you start to work on 'Estamos na Luta'?

TR: When I moved to Brazil in 2016, one of the most significant and worrying, and upsetting issues was systemic racism. I started researching the topic and speaking with some Brazilian friends who know very well the reality of some Quilombos in the State of São Paulo. From there, I moved my attention to the Quilombo’s Communities and to the abuses they suffered. I selected a series of Quilombos that was experiencing discrimination and violation of rights. During the project, I visited a Quilombo in the State of São Paulo (Cananeia), one in the State of Minas Gerais (Januaria), one in Maranhao (Santa Rosa dos Pretos), one in Pará (Barcarena), and one in Bahia (Ilha de Maré). To create a link between the present and the past, I photographed several objects related to slavery in the Slavery Museum of Belo Vale (Minas Gerais).

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

'Estamos na Luta' speaks of the fight of Quilombolas to keep their identity and fight for their rights. These communities are living in a series of abuses perpetrated over the years, and their fight is mainly an act of resistance. This resistance translates to preserving traditions, being rights activists, and creating a new generation of activists with the opportunity to study in public universities and be more prepared for this kind of fight than their ancestors. From the beginning, I decided to shoot in medium format to avoid a sort of photojournalist language. I also decided to mix the images taken in different Quilombos since even each Community has its problems connected with systematic racism present in Brazil. I avoided documenting Afro-Brazilian festivity and ceremonies because I didn’t want to prioritise aspects that could be exotics, and I focused on the daily life of the members of the Communities. Finally, I selected clean images that could show the life of the Community but also the isolation of the Quilombolas in Brazilian Society.

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

The theme of colonization today also affects photography. What does it mean to photograph in exotic or exogenous contexts? What ethical aspects play in favor or against? Can you tell us about your experience in Brazil?

I have often questioned what is exotic? And who does decide what is exotic? For decades colonisation and photography walked together; I guess this binomial explains why photographers gained this romantic, rebel, and adventurist fame. Popping up in countries they didn't know, showing issues they often misunderstood. And, of course, the farther, the better it is. Because of my Wife's job (she is a Comparative African Literature and postcolonial Studies Professor), we got a strong relationship with Mozambique. And now we live in Brazil. These are two countries that could be considered "Exotic". Most of the project shots in these two countries tell graphic stories of violence, poverty, disease, or just folklore. These topics exist in specific contexts but are the only ones? To show this issue is it always necessary to illustrate situations that are shocking or exotic? And finally, the photographer operating in one of these exotic countries would work and produce images in the same way if he/she were in Europe or the USA?

As a documentary photographer, I try to avoid the exotic aesthetic, creating images as I would be in Europe and other places. I chose topics that are not exotic and exogenous but that pick my curiosity and interest. I feel that regarding the market, when a project is coming from an “exotic” country but has a “normal” aesthetic or takes care of the issue without “exoticness,” it doesn’t alert the attention like an exotic one. I moved to São Paulo in 2016, and I am still learning to understand this complex country. Here the Brazilian love to use the expression “Brazil is not for amateurs,” for some aspect it is true; a capitalist and liberal system without social democratic thinking create a culture that normalizes inequality. Still, simultaneously, there are many associations, activists, and just people who fight to get a better country, giving hope for a better future.

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

© Tommaso Rada from the series 'Estamos na Luta'

There is an epic resistance among the activist Quilombolas. It is admirable. Despite decades of discrimination, injustices, and lost battles, they are still slowly fighting with all their energy. Still, they are making changes using the democratic tools that the country offers them. As a documentary photographer, I think it is fundamental to somehow return to the subjects. On a broader understanding of "giving back," it is crucial to try every way possible to spread the subjects' stories. The recognition of the rights of the Quilombolas isn't only for them, but also for me and the rest of the Brazilian society that isn't Quilombolas. Still, it would help to get a more fair and humane country, a better society that recognizes its members' differences.

LINK
Tommaso Rada (website)
Urbanautica Institute Awards 2020