I got first contact with her work on Instagram, after my last visit to Brazil, where I visited Favela da Rocinha for the first time, and wrote a love letter to it.
Salemm, also known as Fotogracria, is a creative director, artist, and photographer. Born and raised in the Favela da Rocinha, she grew up tired of negative portrayals of her community and decided to show the beauty found among its alleys and narrow streets from her perspective as a resident, with joyful works that speak to identity, self-esteem, and territory, through photography, 3D sculptures, and artificial intelligence.
Fotogracria is a pun that comes with the mix of two Portuguese words: “Fotografia” and “Cria”. "Cria" comes from the verb criar (to raise, to bring up), so at its root it means something like "one who was raised somewhere." But the slang sense is broader and carries real weight, especially in Brazilian favela and periferia culture (funk, trap, streetwear). In Rio de Janeiro’s context, “Cria” means someone who is a local with very deep roots in the unique culture of Rio de Janeiro.
Salemm is an incredibly talented Brazilian photograher, and we know each other for some months now. We met via Instagram and exchanged gifts, prints, film, and since then, I’ve been admiring her work more and more.
She gifted me one of her prints, from Darlan, cria de Manguinhos (another favela in Rio), who observes the landscape ot Favela da Rocinha while dreams about his future, on his back, a scapular, a symbol of his faith.
I invite you to go check her website and instagram. If you want to buy a print from her, check out her Shop.
Salemm is a documentarist who talks a lot about the romantization of the life in the favelas. On her instagram, she posts (usually on stories) some reality checks that put the feet on the ground regarding on how living in a favela is. It has its bright side, for sure, but there is also a lot of government negligence when it comes to paying attention to the lives of people living in the favelas, and she does a good way on documenting these.
Salemm started photographing in 2018 with a borrowed Galaxy J2. Raised in Rocinha, she now creates work for brands like Nike and takes part in exhibitions in Brazil and abroad. “I claim the favela as landscape. When my territory is seen as beauty, I feel like I’ve won,” she says.
She is quickly ramping into art and in my opinion, she is a natural on it. Born and raised in Rocinha, Salemm, uses her eye to tell the stories of the favela through someone who lives there, knows it, and belongs to it.
And I agree with everything. I’ll frame and hang this print on the wall. Thank you for the gift, my friend.
Here's more of her work:
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Great insight into Salemm's work - there are quite a few priceless shots, I particularly love last one, I can see why big brands are interested into her work. Let's hope that cultural affirmation turns into another stone in the way of real estate and right wing governments and help keep Rocinha in the hands of its people.
I visited the favela a year ago, an experience I recommend to everyone visiting Rio. The post that followed, hope you don't mind me sharing it. I think it provides some interesting insights:
https://alessandromanni.substack.com/p/rocinha
These are all brilliant but that second to last one man! It’s perfect. Thanks for sharing Salemm’s work!