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Invisible São Paulo, São Paulo (2026)

21/07/2015

"I used to play drums at church, I learned it all by myself. I had to leave because a woman complained to the pastor that the drums were really noisy and playing drums was a sin. A few days after that, the woman invited me to drink a beer with her. At the time, beer was something unacceptable at the church.
I'm from Minas Gerais, my name is José. I came here with my aunt, we lived for some time in a farm on the countryside and I used to help my wife and my son with money, they were both living in Minas Gerais.
When my aunt got old and I stopped to walk because of a problem in my bone, she went to Granja Viana and I went here to Boraceia. I get here to work on the streets at 8 am and I leave around 6 pm. Thank God, everyone treat me really well, I make around 20 bucks a day and with the money I buy a cigarette and a soap. These things I cannot get at the shelter. Today I'm gonna sleep on the street because there is no room left at the shelter, but is ok, I'll find a place to put my wheelchair and it's fine. Before I used to walk with a crutch, the wheelchair is a blessing. All I really wanted was to see my son, he is 35 years old, one day I also want to go back to church and play the drums."

19/07/2015

"The hardest thing in Brazil is to be recognized as an artist and not as a luxury beggar. I do art for 15 years, today I'm 41 years old and everyone thinks that I'm a lazybones. That doesn't happen only with me but with any artist, all I want is to be recognized for what I do. We don't steal and we are not dealers. We created art.

The other day, around 7 am I went for a coffee with money in my pocket and a security guy stopped me. I had to teach him the degree of culture he had, I also told him that for me what he was doing wasn't his job, but he was a simple stooge, that instead of starring for what the others were wearing, could be reading a book and learning something.

Being poor is bad luck, but to be stupid is an option. My work is exposed in Tokio, Paris, and all over the world, but in my country I'm only a luxury beggar. I'm still the same, with the same name, same dignity, but ashamed to be and artist in Brazil, because who is an artist today? It is like a reality show. The system makes ours artists. I don't want this; I want to be a part of my country. I don't wanna just look for a tree that is falling and cry, I wanna take care of its branch. If I don't write my history or run after my objective I'll keep questioning the government and being guide for Rede Globo."

18/07/2015

"Hey are you all right?
A lot of people think being a recycler is the same thing as being homeless, only because it is a popular and independent job. Thank God I have an education and I live in a boarding house because of this job.

For 16 years I have been working with recycling, I started as a kid, when I was 14. I think this is a hell of a job, it helps both society and the environment, right? I even tried working with something else but recycling is what I know how to do.

My name is Ricardo. I was born in Salto, countryside of Sao Paulo. I lived in Rio de Janeiro also. I used to gather used cans at the beach. Back there it was awesome; in less than an hour I would already have made 100 bucks.

I usually walk on the roads; people in the cars yell at me a lot. But what do you want me to do? Walk with my huge crate on the sidewalks?
Nowadays I live by myself. My parents have passed away and I don't wanna get married, I'm still a kid. I have to work really hard, get a house, and God be willing make my dream of living San Francisco, CA come true. You gotta dream big right?"

17/07/2015

"Look I don't really like talking about myself because I don't want to create any controversy. I don't like being interviewed but you can take a picture. My name is Marcos, I am 62 years old. If you want to know more about me there are some articles going around and there were even some professors from some universities that came and did some studies on me. Have a great day, God bless."

16/07/2015

"My name is José Vicente. I will be 59 years on March 12th. I'm a native son of Paraíba, but I'm really from the world. I used to work in farms and ranches in the interior of São Paulo and Santa Catarina. I traveled a lot. Nowadays I'm not working. My last job was as a cleaning assistant on the Barra Funda station. But now, my biggest worry is my health. I'm alcoholic. But I'm trying to stop. Once a week, I go to the alcoholics anonymous meeting. It helps me, and a lot. The word to define these meeting is friendly; at the meeting it is all good and help us to avoid the drinks. By now, I depend on the "Bolsa Família" (Brazilian government financial help). I didn't receive my money this month, because I lost my ID. This is what being alcoholic results in.

Children? I never had one and I don't want to. I broke up with my last girlfriend, because she used to drink more than me and I couldn’t handle the drama. We worked as cottars at that time. Today I only have my sisters, but I don't like to depend on the people, so I prefer to stay on the streets. But that's it, I don't drink, the psychologist helps me and warned me to keep a copy of my document (ID) with me, I want to get better and, when I get my reissued ID, I will look for some place and find a job."

15/07/2015

"So, as I told you, it’s hard living here, especially because I’m ashamed of asking people for money, as the others do. Sometimes I go the whole day without eating because I don’t want to ask people for money.

My parents left my brothers, sisters and I with our grandmother when we were little. We have grown up with her in Mirandópolis and then we moved here. My name is Edson.
I’m 44 years old and I don’t have the best luck here in Sao Paulo. I have worked since I was a kid, but I can’t find a steady job here. I have lived in the streets on and off, but every time it is only for a short time. This time, I’m living here for two weeks and I don’t plan on staying much longer, I just want to rebuild myself.

This time I am here because of my depression problems. When I’m facing a crisis I usually isolate myself from the world. I got fired from my last job… I wanted to come to the streets to think about my life and as I usually don’t have anything to eat I sing a lot! All I just need is a guitar, I love playing the guitar. I learned when I lived in Mirandópolis."

14/07/2015

"My name is Wagner. My dream is just like every Brazillian dream: to have fair country. The government doesn't help me, just f***s me. It inspires me to make art. They (the government) just talk, but don't do anything. Before I paid R$5,00 on the canvas, today I pay R$7,00. Before I paid R$4,50 on the inks, now I pay R$5,00. Besides that, the government still collets more taxes. They increase the cost of the light, the water, just about everything. On the cigarette I buy, the kerosene of the political jet is already included on the cost of the product!

When I make my art, I think about the others, I want to carry my art for those that are invisible but can't have art on their day-to-day lives. What good is there in being an artist just to have a nice car, money and only represent myself? I want to represent whom I love and who loves me too. I make art thinking about Dona Maria's son that lives on the east zone, works everyday and don’t have the time to go to a museum.
It's hard, but we need to fight. Every good thing that you do should lead to freedom.”

13/07/2015

"Listen, sir, just do not show my face in the picture because my mother may recognize my face and I do not want to.
My name is Luis (fictitious name), I am 15 years old. I have been here for a year and four months. I came because I beat my stepfather and wanted to leave the house. He beat my mother and I kept quiet until one day, he slapped her face and I his head with a wood stick. I was so furious, I rebelled, then I called my brother and he also beat my stepfather with a wood stick.
I visit my grandmother from time to time, but I rather live on the streets. My dream is to be an engineer. I love to build, after the fire in the favela of Moinho, I helped the whole community rebuilt the shacks again.
But to become an engineer I must to study, finish high school or get my GED and then go to college. Here, we are a family; one is always helping the other. For example, if you can’t pay for a snack for each of us, we will need to share the only one you are paying for. "

11/07/2015

"Look boy, I don't have bad time. I come here to get some money to eat because I pay the bills with my retirement and there is nothing left. Life is expensive in São Paulo, but I'm happy. My name is Jussiê, I came here in 1975, and I am from Juazeiro do Norte.
My dream is o die in Ceará. I can't handle more ten years of life, my son. I smoke a lot. I have more past than future. I will go back to Ceará because it is peaceful and I'm well considered. Sometimes I go to my "land" to visit my daughter, but it's not time to stay yet.
I miss walking. But it's very good with the wheelchair, it has been a lot worse. I used crutch until I was 15 years old. I have infantile paralysis. After that, I lost my crutch and dragged myself for five months, until I got my wheelchair and than everything turned into happiness.
Life is supposed to be lived with happiness. I can't look only to bad people; there are a lot of good people here. One day, I received a donation of 9 wheelchairs. I upgraded mine and donated the other 8 for friends that live in the Northeastern of Brazil, because they needed, they were really happy!"

10/07/2015

"I am under the traffic lights for some years now. Instead of doing nothing at Capão Redondo, where I live, I'd rather earn some cash around here. There's a lot of shooting and drugs around there. Yesterday, a friend of ours died, it was very sad. I stayed here, I help my old mom with the expenses.
My name is Jefferson, I am 15 years old and I'm the youngest out of my brothers. My father is dead already. I miss him, I just don't miss him getting drunk and beating my mom, he even left her blind. She was alcoholic at the time as well. But not anymore, thank God for that. The church helped us a lot.
My brother-in-law taught me how to juggle. I like it, so I intend to stay around here until I am 17. Feels good to work for yourself, doesn't it? When I get older I will get some real job, get myself registered and then make my own shed and get out of Capão Redondo, who knows. People at Capão Redondo persuade teenagers to help with drug dealing. I never did it, doesn't make sense to me. You walk with the drug, then you want to use it, you use it, and then you get indebted to these people, and your life is at their hands. I will not humiliate myself for that.”

08/07/2015

"Every day I feel invisible. Thank God, there are good people who like to help others. I've been offered a job, but I want to continue to be who I am, a traveler.
My name is Yago, I am 15 years old and I came here by bus. Just kidding, my mother threw me out when I was 9 years old. At first, I went back and forth several times to my grandmother's house, now I just go back from time to time to the countryside to see if she and my cat are okay.
I can no longer live among walls. To me, a house is a prison. School is also a prison. If I could have classes here on the street it would be all right.
Here on the streets I fight with my friends. I know all kinds of fights, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai. If I cannot turn into a professional fighter, which is my dream, I might try turning into a singer. I like rap, Racionais MC's, Projota and Eminem.
I never steal. I've tried, but I gave up. I don't want to go to Fundação CASA (Juvenile detention) or another prison. The police presence is intense here. I have broken a tooth once, when they (the police) gave me a punch in the mouth. The police have a lot of prejudice towards us."

07/07/2015

"If I had a wheelchair here, I'd get much more money, but I am issue is another, it is mental not physical, everybody thinks I lie, I pretend, but it is not true. My name is Agnaldo.
I'm from Maranhão, son of the north, but I hate people from there, are you from here? I'm forty years old, I came here everyday to get some money to buy my house. I live with my mother, but she doesn't talk to me, she doesn't like me. No one talks to me. Why are you talking to me?"

Invisible São Paulo