Rogério Reis

In his series Nobody’s Nobodies, Rogério Reis documents the lively and beatific beach life of Rio de Janeiro. Although he takes photos in public places, he covers each and every swimmer’s face with a colourful dot, questioning their right to their own image in a humorous way. The simple geometric shape enables him to be carefree when photographing people and results in striking art that comes from real life.

Reis refers to the unexpected and ironic associations that arise from the dots, reminiscent of artists such as John Baldessari and László Moholy-Nagy. Reis plays with the expressive power of skillfully placed circles, using them to inspect the mechanisms of artistic representation. The effect of the piece Arpoador Rock, Rio is taken up a notch through a made-to-measure frame made of neon pink Plexiglas. The acrylic frame is an impressive colour accent that enhances the artwork’s luminosity.

Brazilian photo artist Rogério Reis learned his trade in the 1970s at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro. His work has featured in more than 90 international solo and group exhibitions, and he a recipient of Brazil’s National Prize for Documentary Photography. The artist’s fascinating life story actually inspired the character of the same name in the 2002 film City of God.