pictures of garbage

last night we finished watching "wasteland," a documentary about the work of a daring, brilliant and big-hearted artist named vik muniz. muniz made the "garbage pickers" of the world's largest dump in brazil the subjects of a series of portraits, illuminating both the unimaginable poverty and fifth in which they live and work, as well as their grace, beauty and intelligence. his art creates this shocking contrast between the vast wasteland -- a sick reminder of the gluttonous way we live -- and the human beings who dig through it. poor people who, like poor people worldwide, are thought of as inferior, somehow less-than-human. yet like all humans they are these magnificent gems who carry on their shoulders (along with the trash) ambition, profound loss, intellectual curiosity, and passion. my favorite portrait is the one posted above.

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