On a June morning in 2015, I wanted to produce images of Brasilia
that would avoid the overdone iconography of the monuments.
Interested in geometric shapes, I recalled Marcel Gautherot, the
French-Brazilian whose talent helped to perpetuate not only the
monumental buildings but also the simple residential blocks designed
by Oscar Niemeyer.
With the expectation of rereading the master's images, I proceeded to
Brasilia's first superblock (superquadra). I soon realized that the
Brasilia of Gautherot no longer existed. In the 1960s the trees that
embellish the city today had not yet grown.
How to find the lost geometry in that which nature had taken? Thus, I
looked up and suddenly noticed the “concretist cityscape” shaped by
the sun on the ordinary buildings of the city.
Since then I have looked around seeking for images that can be
perceived anywhere by anyone. This book is the record of that
pathway.
José Roberto Bassul was born in Rio and lives in Brasilia. His photography turns to architecture and urban environment as an attempt "to draw thoughts, project desires and built spaces for the imagination". He has received several awards and his works has often been exhibited in festivals, galleries and museums in solo and group shows in Brazil and abroad. He has published two photobooks. His works are held in important private and public collections such as those of National Museum of Republic (Brasilia), Art Museum of Rio, Museum of Modern Art (Rio) and Museum of Photography (Fortaleza).
Awards 2024. Prêmio PIPA | PIPA Prize (indicado/nominee)
2024+2023+2020+2018+2017. Tokio Int'l Foto Awards (silver and bronze awards)
2023. Black & White Magazine (spotlight award)
2023. Transborda Award of Contemporary Art, Brasília (finalist)
2023+2021+2018+2017. Festival Internacional de Fotografia de Tiradentes (exhibition awards)
2023+2021. Pollux Awards (1st place)
2022. Festfoto Porto Alegre (exhibition award)
2022+2021+2019+2018. IPA–International Photography Awards (1st and 2nd places, and Official Selection)
2021. 10th Prix Photo AF (1st place)
2021. FotoRio, Prêmio América Latina (Latin America Award)
2021. 16th Pollux Awards (1st place)
2020+2019. Moscow Int'l Foto Awards (Book photographer of the year, gold and silver awards)
2020+2018+2017. Prix de la Photographie Paris-PX3 (gold and bronze)
2022+2021+2019. Budapest Int'l Foto Awards (2nd place, gold and silver award)
2018+2016. Festival Internacional Paraty Em Foco (exhibition awards)
2018+2017. Siena International Photo Awards (finalist)
2017. LensCulture Network Gallery (selected for online exhibition)
2017. Magnum Caravan Brasil (special mention)
2017+2016. Le Plus Grand Concours Photo du Monde, PHOTO Magazine (lauréat)
2016. Miami Street Photography Awards (finalist)
2016. Sony World Photography Awards (commended)
