Waste Land (2010) Edit

A combination of sounds transforms into music.

A little more in profile.

A lot of them they were low middle class people...

A psychologist.

A year of garbage has gone by.

Actually I like this picture.

After a while, we all had to go to the garbage.

After I worked with Vik Muniz...

After that my husband left me and he took my daughter away from me.

After you told me the story about...

Against you, Jenny.

All the money from the sale of the portraits will be given back to you.

Although if he is, I'd be very proud...

And 100% of the closest suburbs.

And another man coming towards us with a pointed gun.

And by the company that picks it up and takes it to the recycling.

And disposable plastic because it's lighter.

And figuring out what to do to just continue living...

And he gave me some money.

And he gives life to garbage.

And he has attracted huge crowds to his exhibitions.

And his portrait was a big success at an auction in London.

And I am talking about educated people...

And I don't see people depressed or anything.

And I give a lot of books to Tião.

And I have to go after an image.

And I think that it has a lot to do with denial.

And I think the stability of the people themselves...

And I think we are. So I think it's worth a try.

And I think we are. So I think it's worth a try.

And I was always proud of my parents.

And I was no longer ashamed.

And I'll use the PET and glass more as filler.

And in the end, they won't say: Vik did it.

And into the opportunity to be in the Museum of Modern Art.

And it was sugar.

And it will be clearer at the sides.

And it will become something they would put their hands on to help them.

And it would be sold for a lot of money.

And it's also worthwhile becoming a work of art.

And it's going to be under the garbage in 12 hours.

And it's like this all over.

And it's separate there.

And leaving it out on the street for the garbage truck to take it away.

And look at it as a representation.

And my father he worked at night...

And not just any material.

And now I have everything and I don't want anything.

And now I think this is wrong...

And now you are pretending that we don't exist!

And one kilo of garbage generates 500 grams of recyclable material.

And paint Jardim Gramacho...

And people can live here decently.

And say hello life is different...

And she taught me to read at a very young age.

And she told me that if I wanted I could be a psychologist.

And she's already agreed to take it to an international sale.

And showing them another world...

And soft drink bottles...

And somebody said to me listen do you want to come do this thing...

And that applies to everything.

And that changes their way of thinking.

And that's why I am talking to you today.

And that's why I bought the ticket...

And the comission?

And the day after we left there...

And the people are talking.

And them they get silly and sing me happy birthday,

And then he died.

And then he died.

And then it goes to the recycling wholesalers, the intermediaries.

And then that's what they collect.

And then they see the image.

And then they stop and start to go like this.

And there was no other way to survive, so I stayed here.

And there were all these stains.

And they are saying...

And they lean in an everything vanishes and becomes paint.

And they said that one cost US$0.70 cents?

And today I am in love with him.

And try to just do my work...

And we had to pay the bills, keep the household, support my son.

And we managed to transform that material into art...

And we will start this...

And what about brown glass?

And what they should do.

And what's it like working here?

And work there?

And you are going to create everything?

And you become a source of methane gas.

And you see people are carrying garbage?

And you? Are you OK?

And your going to employ the people that live there?

And your going to make drawings out of the garbage?

Another place.

Are we going to do it by weight or by tarpful?

Are you happy?

Are you happy?

Are you nervous? I'm really nervous.

Artists would go through...

As long as you think the person can cope with it.

As long as you think the person can cope with it.

Ashamed of being poor.

Association for what? You're never going to achieve anything.

At 25 thousand.

At 28 thousand pounds.

At 28 thousand pounds.

At 28 thousand.

At ten thousand pounds.

At that point, I didn't even know what this was.

At the beginning at least I had the impression...

At the far back now.

At the morgue,

At what age did you start working?

Away from where they are.

Be careful!

Beautiful!

Because 99 is not 100,

Because at least I'm not involved with the drug traffic...

Because at least when you want something your life has a meaning,

Because before I was just like a little mule.

Because I don't get it and it's totally meaningless.

Because I don't want my son to be a picker.

Because I got shot in the leg.

Because I really can see already...

Because I think a lot of things aren't really art.

Because I think that it is a very exclusive...

Because in the end...

Because it has it's human side...

Because it was paradise.

Because it will raise awareness about us pickers.

Because my mother...

Because once a friend and I had a dream of creating an association.

Because Sao Paolo is very rainy all the time.

Because the picker is a person...

Because then they'll see the ladder, the piano.

Because they help increase its capacity.

Because they're dumped in the landfill all the time.

Before coming to the landfill, we had a calm life.

Breathing his last breaths and everything.

Brooke has a super important job at an international auction company.

Bt I did not count as being as involved...

But also... Can it change people?

But do you think people they are open to work like this?

But do you think you have to get it, for it to be art?

But green champagne bottles, brown beer bottles, costumes...

But I never understood.

But I started going out and drinking and getting wasted.

But I'd rather he be a lawyer, to represent the pickers, you know?

But if take them...

But if you are not sure the person can deal with it...

But if you're saying you liked it better after you understood it...

But isn't that bad?

But it doesn't work like that.

But it's been two weeks since we broke up.

But it's disgusting.

But it's safe...

But let me answer that.

But now I've reached a point where I want to give back.

But on the other hand...

But people out there see us as so big, so beautiful.

But please just let me stay here.

But their parents were very sad, tired, weary people...

But then my father died.

But when there are wars between the favelas...

But where does that garbage go?

But who sells and is the most popular overseas.

But you make good money here, right?

But Zumbi picks out the good books, and brings them here for us to read.

By Andy Warhol

By Vik Muniz.

Bye.

Can change people...

Can you tell what's in there?

Cardboard, paper, plastics, glass, metal they collect everything.

Careful. This woman is red hot.

Check it out.

Check out that long hair!

Check out the geography of this thing.

Check out the profile.

Check out, Auntie.

Check the link I just sent you.

Come here and get your hands dirty.

Come here you beautiful thing.

Come here you beautiful thing.

Come on boy!

Congratulations man!

Consuming whatever you want and tossing everything in the trash...

Costumes and things because clear glass is no of no use for me.

Costumes and things like that?

Damien Hirst.

DANGER. RISK OF LIFE.

Dear Subscriber...

Dermatological cream.

Did you know that psychologists take care of crazy people?

Did you think that that lunatic...

Didn't it come out beautifully?

Directly to an auction.

Do it again.

Do the same thing with the shorter one.

Do worse than what has been done to them already.

Do you smell something bad?

Do you want juice? Coffee?

Does all of Rio's trash end up here?

Doing such great harm to nature and the environment.

Doing what they do every day.

Don't put this on TV, I'd die.

Don't scratch my picture.

Dude, It's a city of garbage!

Dude!

Each with their own gangs and their own fortifications.

Easy there. Let's go.

Either a primary or a secondary education.

Enjoying the game?

Even if everything went wrong...

Even if it rains, I get the fire running to cook.

Even it's just a place from where they can look at where they are...

Even though it isn't my birthday.

Even when Botafogo plays for the championship.

Every single lot is filled with garbage.

Every time we talk about some friend...

Everybody criticized us. Even the pickers, they were the worst.

Everyone sleeps piled up here.

Everything is made out of recyclable materials from the landfill.

Exactly.

Except when you look from very far away.

Except you can't open it, it's made of bronze.

Excuse me.

Film her!

Film her!

First of all, the place is surrounded by favelas...

For me PVC is the filet mignon Definitely.

For some people it changes their way of thinking...

For some people...

For sure.

For their minds.

For Vik Muniz...

From a childhood like that to being very sad grownups.

From above...

From far there is not desmaios, the people choking.

From the meat dumpsters.

From the moment you think you have everything

From the realm of fine art.

From there it goes to another company for shredding.

Full.

Give mommy a kiss! Give me a kiss!

Glass we have to pick specially, we normally don't pick glass.

Good work everyone.

Got it.

Gramacho Gardens it's the biggest landfill in Rio.

Had to work at the phone company.

Hand me that bag!

Hang this on these humble walls, this work of art?

Have you seen this? Everyone does it.

He abuses strange materials.

He beat me and I got so hurt, I had to get out of there.

He died in the bathtub like this.

He doesn't let me talk!

He had acute pneumonia.

He is a truck driver.

He is President of the Association of Garbage Pickers of Jardim Gramacho.

He is, without a doubt,

He said Man, this book is still being sold.

He talks about Moses, who became leader because God talked to him.

He thought I should be submissive.

He used to sleep on the streets.

He was a good thing in my life.

He was throwing up little pieces of his lungs.

He'd say That's bullshit.

He's like this.

He's on the board of the Association of Pickers of Jardim Gramacho, ACAMJG.

He's the radio.

Hein?

Hello.

Here is our kitchen.

Here is the living room where we put a bunc of junk.

Here it comes!

Here we are in the largest sanitary facility...

Here's a tape. They must have a camera.

Here's the bedroom.

Here's the most recent baby of the house.

Here's wisdom a plenty, nineteen is not twenty.

Hey what are you doing here man?

Hi Lucio, I'm Vik.

Hi Vik.

Hi, how are you doing?

His name is Jean Michel Basquiat.

His nickname is Zumbi.

Hold it here for me, please.

Hold on.

Honey, I just know. I'm on the inside now.

How about with my hair down?

How are you?

How are you?

How delicate the whole situation of having them there...

How do we do it? They told me that a tarp cost US$0.40 per kilo?

How is it going to be the whole health issue...

How many people told you to give up, that it was never going to happen?

How much money was there?

How to help people and all of a sudden...

Howdy folks!

Howdy folks!

Hunger strike!? Yeah, right!

I already see just as a beginning.

I am a trained cook, a restaurant cook.

I am proud to be a picker.

I am saying it is.

I am so happy.

I asked them to take the plastic off because he was too hot.

I began to understand his kind of sinister style.

I believed in it. I said no.

I bet you people stay much longer at your exhibits than anyone does.

I bought this lot in 1963, and I built this house with difficulty.

I broke my leg, my arm.

I broke my other arm here. I was in really bad shape.

I can't believe you want to show me all dirty.

I can't talk about it or I'll start to cry.

I carry this with pride.

I collect 'arruivo' meaning books, folders.

I could be led to a life like that.

I couldn't believe that it was my son.

I did the iron, remember?

I did this.

I did this.

I did this.

I didn't go, but it did. I'm famous out there.

I don't forget a single detail not a single, single one.

I don't forget the tiniest details.

I don't get this nervous.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm having lunch at noon!

I don't know.

I don't know. This is the beginning of an idea...

I don't let anyone go hungry.

I don't see myself I the trash anymore.

I don't think if I was a catador in Jardim Gramacho...

I don't think so.

I don't want to be here anymore.

I don't want to go back to Gramacho.

I don't want to go back to the garbage.

I don't want to go back to the garbage. I don't.

I eat what I find around here.

I feel disgusting.

I feel like a pop star.

I feel like I am being helped more than they are.

I fell over backwards.

I fell over, I fainted.

I felt like reading it so I took it home and put it behind the fridge to dry.

I find it to be more interesting and more honest.

I first came here almost a year ago.

I forgot my life, I forgot everything,

I forgot that I had a life, a house, everything.

I fractured a rib.

I get potatoes and vegetables.

I go home to see my kids every couple of weeks.

I got really into it.

I got shot by one of the guys who Thought was the guy fighting with him.

I grew up very poor,

I had just arrived from the bank and given the money to Gloria.

I had to buy a lot of crap to get rid of that complex.

I have a plan to make a community library in my space.

I have been a picker here for 26 years.

I have no idea.

I have nothing to complain about in my life.

I have to get a nail.

I hope you understand me because I don't have...

I immediately thought of my own kids.

I just have the material.

I just wanted to have things.

I keep asking myself if it's worth it.

I kept thinking about what was missing in the transition...

I knew how much I made.

I knew that I could do the work.

I know that I would say yes.

I learned a lot.

I learned here is that they have...

I like introducing myself with my own voice.

I like it there.

I lost the last photograph I had of him.

I lost the last photograph I had of him.

I make salads, potato, roast beef.

I mean from the stories...

I met someone.

I moved here after I split from their father.

I moved in with their father when I was twelve.

I never dreamed there would be a picture of me in a museum.

I never imagined I'd become a work of art.

I never saw her again. Not since she was two.

I only understood it when Fabio brought me up here.

I realized that I could make volumes with that.

I really believe that, and everyone agrees.

I really don't.

I really feel weird.

I really like him.

I really love children, my own as well as other people's.

I represent 2,500 pickers who work here at the landfill.

I run out of here screaming.

I saw him dying.

I saw it yesterday and it's expensive!

I saw my son die when he was three years old.

I see 3 characters: Tiao, Zumbi, Isis.

I see the hill.

I shot these with a camera. People from the New York Times...

I spent half my life wanting everything and having nothing.

I start thinking about...

I started drinking moonshine all the time.

I started drinking moonshine all the time.

I started going out all the time.

I started there almost thirty years ago.

I started to help her out.

I started to see myself.

I started to understand it and I liked it.

I stink now, but when I get home I'll take a shower, and it'll be fine.

I stop to break the fight apart.

I take it from the truck.

I think it has to communicate something at least.

I think it is the first time I saw...

I think that is where you reach the point where you think about...

I think this is the first time that I addressed...

I think this is very good for us...

I think we can start...

I think we have to be careful...

I thought I could just go there...

I told Fabio: Just let me stay. Even if I only get US$150 a month.

I told them you were 70 years old.

I try to explain to people...

I understand.

I used to make a diary...

I used to make a diary...

I used to push these carts here.

I used to think it was crap.

I want also...

I want this to be an experience of how art...

I want to be a doctor.

I want to close this here and see if it makes more sense like that.

I want to make portraits of the pickers and then sell them.

I want to make portraits of the pickers and then sell them.

I want to propose a toast to my boss.

I was a picker at Jardim Gramacho.

I was at the hospital with him for three days.

I was born in a low...

I was lucky because I had my grandmother,

I was married and now I am separated.

I was never...

I was nine years old.

I was nine years old.

I was picking garbage when they asked me to work with them.

I was standing by the door and I saw him

I was the oldest and I had two younger brothers.

I went to everybody and told them I worked at the landfill.

I would imagine the progression from these beautiful amazing children...

I would like to take care of children.

I would spend the whole day...

I'd buy it.

I'd rather want everything and have nothing...

I'll buy it someday. I'll buy my picture back.

I'm already dreaming about being there.

I'm getting stiff from lying in this position.

I'm going to London, and you're not.

I'm not exaggerating.

I'm proud of my work...

I'm shaking.

I'm the Brazilian artist who is the most I hate to say this...

I'm the Vice President of ACAMJG...

I've never been to a museum.

I've read a few books The Da Vinci Code, The Art of War.

I've worked since I was seven years old.

If I don't die, it's not bad. I can get by.

If it was up to me, I'd open a day care center.

If it weren't for my friends here...

If something had happened to my parents...

If the meat truck comes, the boys get it before the expiration date.

If you are late and pay on Monday it's US$13.

If you are starting to change them already...

If you can put yourself in their own shoes...

If you keep adding to it without careful balancing...

If you went outside right now you'd see children in the street, picking garbage.

If you work with them?

If your living life...

Imagine it's a beautiful landscape with a lake and a man fishing.

In an artists studio...

In my life.

In my time, they had no thing which can return your cart.

In Rio...

In the afternoon they found a body there.

In the past...

In the world with its own importance.

In this garbage I make many things.

Inside the garbage.

Invited me to be part of the new photography show.

Is choose the best pictures.

Is for them.

Is going to pay off.

Is it here?

Is it realistic enough...

Is it you?

Is taking people away even if it is for two minutes...

Is that film?

Is that is the main thing...

Is that something bad one way or another?

Is there a way to take something away here?

Is to work with garbage.

Isis Rodrigues Garros.

Isis, you're not supposed to cry.

Isn't this good?

It all started by the feeling that we should do something...

It becomes sort of a textural thing.

It came out beautifully!

It changed a lot of things for me.

It changes their way of thinking.

It could be me.

It does.

It ended because...

It fell on me, and started to drag me and crush me...

It gives you the feeling of being everything.

It got to the point where I'd say: Excuse me ma'am, but do I stink?

It has be a woman of a certain age to wear shoes like that.

It inspires you.

It is a very fine work.

It is at the far back of the room...

It is my responsibility.

It is really hard for me to imagine doing something...

It just was impossible not to.

It looks exactly like me.

It looks like someone barely read it and just threw it away.

It looks like they were completely left.

It looks very chaotic, but it's very organized by material...

It messed up her whole foot.

It really is very good.

It reminds me a lot of Rio today, all these different fiefdoms...

It starts to look small...

It was a crazy dream. Nobody believed in us.

It was all muddy and on it was written The Prince by Machiavelli.

It was all worth it. Everything I did up until now was really worth it.

It was great for the hospital because their blood bank was filled.

It was in my wallet that was stolen.

It was one of life's consequences.

It was quite beautiful.

It was wrapped in black plastic...

It will probably go for about one million dollars.

It works like a stock exchange.

It's a lot more than that.

It's a pharmacy.

It's a very bold step...

It's against Diego now...

It's all recyclable materials.

It's all recycling industry around here.

It's bad to be rich at the height of fame with your morals a dirty shame.

It's beautiful.

It's because I was working over there in the dump.

It's been 2 weeks since we broke up.

It's better than being out there...

It's better than turning tricks in Copacabana.

It's easy for you to be sitting there at home in front of your television...

It's funny how you get used to the smell.

It's going to be great.

It's going to work out.

It's going to work, come on.

It's gonna be hard.

It's good to fly over...

It's hard for me.

It's hard to make those assumptions from looking at Google Earth.

It's horrible how people really believe...

It's like a garbage land.

It's like a mountain.

It's like the end of the line.

It's more dignified.

It's not a pretty place.

It's not as bad as I thought.

It's not bad to be poor.

It's not going to get you anywhere.

It's not.

It's now, it's now.

It's quite a perfume!

It's really worthwhile to work on behalf of the pickers...

It's ruiet now because there are no wars between the favelas.

It's small, but you can still make a little something in it.

It's so beautiful.

It's so well done. Excuse me while I have a look over here.

It's the Marat that's going?

It's this photo right here.

It's very hard.

It's worthwhile.

It's your dad.

Jean Michel Basquiat.

Jean Michel.

Just bringing them to the other studio...

Just drugs.

Just white paper.

Last chance.

Let me answer that!

Let me for one moment...

Let me get a portrait of you two.

Let me introduce you to Zumbi.

Let me see here. You're going to be just like a little saint.

Let me talk.

Let's go.

Let's make Tião into Marat.

Let's say each household generates one kilo of garbage.

Let's see if I understand it right.

Let’ see.

Like a lot of people, prostituting yourself.

Like Cezanne went to paint...

Like the other day I went up there and something made me throw up...

Like this garbage, that nobody knows about.

Look at this.

Look it's you.

Look out! Get out of the way!

Look Vik, it's Vik, right?

Look, it's me.

Looks good.

Looks like someone bought a new cell phone and threw away the box.

Lot number 225...

Lot number 272.

Luckily he was very rich...

Machiavelli wrote about all of the princes of his day.

Machiavelli's cool.

Magnetic tape.

Mahrat Sebastião...

Making a portrait of yourself...

Man, you're becoming an artist.

Marat!

Maybe it will end up just being portraits.

Maybe take a little step back.

Maybe they will have to go and they will have to think...

Middle class house hold in Brazil.

Mom.

Monte Saint Victoire.

Move your legs a bit, is that ok?

My daughter caught a fungus.

My daughter is three years old, my son is almost two.

My experience with mixing art...

My experience with mixing art...

My grandmother brought me up...

My husband became unemployed.

My legs will stick out.

My life began there, thank God.

My mother also got the fungus. The thing covered her foot.

My mother came here, and then I came too.

My mother was struggling.

My mother worked here for a while, but then she died as well.

My son was so beautiful, he was very beautiful.

Nietzsche's got a great philosophy on life.

Nine Multi colored Marilyns...

No as a person really.

No that's good.

No, because it would be much harder to think we are not able...

No?

No.

Nobody believed in me.

Nobody else likes the guys I like. I like Machiavelli.

Not even my family.

Not in my wildest dreams.

Nothing, nothing at all.

Now I believe when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.

Now I'm 18.

Now it's becoming sort of a low...

Now presenting Lenny Kravitz.

Now you're famous in Santa Cruz.

Now, they have these things for the carts.

Of a plan to get out of there.

Of course, you can dislike something because you haven't tried it.

Of how the stains would develop.

Of material that could be recycled.

Of objects.

Oh man that's crazy.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Oh shit.

Oh this bathroom is bad, cut the bathroom.

Oh yes. I understand!

Oh, man, if I complained God would punish me.

Oh, my! Man!

Oh. Beto's wife!

Ok, so the easiest thing to decide is the carnival stuff.

On You Tube there is a video that was shot at this place called Gramacho.

Once I was driving in Sao Paulo...

Once you put them on a plane?

Once, I was collecting here on the ramp...

One of my jobs was to clean up...

One of the greatest contemporary artists alive today.

One single can is of great importance.

One time I was walking in the garbage and I came across this book.

Or a doctor to care for the pickers in the association.

Or prostituting myself, like a lot of pretty girls around here do.

Or the whole week.

Or they died from all kinds of stuff.

Over 20 people donated blood.

Owned by the drug traffic.

Painted bronze.

Paper.

People all dealing with garbage.

People are fragile.

People here gave me a lot of support.

People look at us in a funny way, What the hell are we doing here?

People sometimes say But one single can?

People you can think of, all drug addicts.

Per kilo, yeah.

Pictures of Garbage

Pleasure to meet you.

Prostituting themselves.

PVC is almost all made up of different objects.

PVC is what I will use the most.

Remember that big pot I had?

Remember that first day at Jardim Gramacho?

Rent is US$8 per week.

Right here.

Right next to my mother in law.

Right now, I am this point in my career...

Right there.

Right.

See if it's good. Here? Here?

See this line going up...

See what is important to them.

See?

She ended up staying at home and taking care of my kids.

She is 93 years old.

She is my eldest and she took care of the kids so I could work.

She must have worked as an executive, right?

She's eight now, when my son died she was two.

Shit! Man!

Should you take them to London?

Since I was 11.

Since we're pickers, we just see recyclable materials.

Six... US$6,000.

So a thousand homes generate 500 kilos...

So did you have a chance to look at that garbage thing?

So do you think it is too hard?

So good.

So I do hope obviously that his risk...

So it changed my career entirely...

So many of them died.

So tell me Isis, how long have you worked here?

So that's the story, this work brought me this realization.

So that's why I want to be a psychologist.

So that's why the pickers are really important to the landfill...

So the recycling wholesalers tell the pickers what they need...

So we can see what we are up against.

So we're going to make a really big photograph of this.

Sold.

Sold. What's your number?

Some boxes.

Some people are crazy and throw away their books. It's absurd.

Some stay there overnight...

Something that you are doing...

Sometimes he worked two shifts.

Sometimes I get visitors, the rats.

Sometimes I just feel like giving up on all of this.

Sometimes I'll just go and come back on the same day.

Sorry I have to do this.

Suelen and her two kids.

Suelen. It's so vibrant.

Sugar Children was probably the most important work...

Super super strong.

Take off one more.

Take you, for example.

Tell him what you want be.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks God, now it's the opposite. Today we have everything we need.

Thanks to the pickers...

That a picture can not really translate.

That for some unfortunate event...

That guy said, They're filming for Animal Planet!

That lived here...

That moment is really magical.

That they were happy there.

That time period in Florence, that madness...

That used to be my room...

That was when I was becoming President of the Association.

That will convert back to them.

That won't clog the sewers or be buried here in the landfill...

That would do much damage to them.

That's 500 kilos less of material that would pollute the rivers, the lagoons...

That's all PVC.

That's bad!

That's beautiful.

That's equivalent to the garbage produced by a city of 400,000 people.

That's it exactly! That's right!

That's it.

That's it.

That's it.

That's it.

That's me?

That's not garbage, it's recyclable material, it's money.

That's right, but face me!

That's right!

That's right.

That's the one they used.

That's what I think.

That's what they keep saying at home.

That's where everything started for me.

The Association of Pickers of Jardim Gramacho.

The back doesn't matter.

The bathroom is here.

The best men's magazine in the country.

The crazy people are the ones who buy it.

The drivers from the supermarket trucks bring me clean vegetables.

The federal government gave us that land to build a recycling center.

The fight is expensive. We have a great value.

The fight is long comrade...

The great work by Vik Muniz.

The ground underneath here is all soft.

The human factor there is beautiful really.

The iconography to develop from my interaction with them.

The idea I have for my next series...

The landfill is like a plate of jell o.

The lives of a group of people...

The most important thing is what you're going to do with this.

The most important woman...

The most poisonous thing in Brazilian culture and society, is classicism.

The only thing I didn't do was do drugs, thank God.

The other pickers just tear up books and recycle them.

The pickers take out 200 tons of materials per day from the landfill.

The pickers who sort through the garbage.

The presents are this small.

The primary market.

The sad story is that I lost my son when he was three years old.

The shredded material gets sold again...

The sweetness was taken from those children.

The will to change.

The work that I did with these children.

Their father is a drug dealer. If I counted on him, I'd be screwed.

Their minds need to be messed up with.

Then I really got it.

Then maybe we just don't like things we don't understand.

Then we say oh he died!

There are always weird things here.

There are definitely yogurt cups, hearts of palm.

There are jellies.

There are so many children.

There is a new bit

There is just no doubt about it.

There is strong demand for works...

There own choices of solid garbage of recyclable garbage.

There she is. You look so fancy.

There they process it, removing the bottle caps and so on.

There was a baby there that had been thrown away.

There was a little ant crawling on his face because of the flowers.

There was a woman there who was blonde.

There was always a lot of humidity on the walls...

There was no one to leave them with, so I brought them with me.

There was no running water, no sewage.

There was none of that.

There'll be a guy with a hammer, going, going, going, gone.

There's so much excess.

There's still the card problem.

These are children from the Caribbean island, of St. Kitts.

These are the roughest...

These days I'm starting to see things in a simpler way.

These guys are going to the studio...

These people have...

These people tell...

They are all excluded from society.

They are sons and daughters of plantation workers.

They called me to identify my son's body. It was on top of a stone.

They can just stick a body there...

They collect whatever the market demands at any given time.

They could be trying to achieve something in life, but no.

They died from drug traffic...

They don't question it, because they feed from there.

They don't want to go back.

They fall off the roof onto the bed sometimes.

They get closer and see just the material.

They get closer and see the material.

They get to see another reality.

They just ended up having to go there and live in the garbage.

They just weren't very lucky...

They liked my look, my style.

They look and see the man fishing...

They move away and see the idea.

They move away and see the image.

They prefer to throw themselves out there onto the street...

They receive the trash from all the Rio area.

They run around in the roof. It drives me crazy.

They said it wouldn't lead anywhere, that it would never work.

They seem very proud of what they are doing.

They sell the materials right here at the landfill.

They told us not to move.

They totally forgot about Gramacho.

They were just like little ants...

They would be sold for the first time...

They'll look at everything.

They'll spend so much time looking at the image...

They're great people.

They're not crazy. It's beautiful.

Think about something else here.

Think about what you're going to do when you get out of Gramacho.

This being the stuff of art...

This comes from poor people because it comes in little bags.

This guy didn't have a lot of money.

This guy is a really great artist too.

This guy liked...

This hand here can be relaxed and open.

This hand.

This image has traveled all over. To China, Japan.

This is Ana Rocha...

This is beef stew, rib stew.

This is by far the worst I have seen.

This is Magna.

This is only the beginning Tião.

This is only the beginning.

This is PET. When it makes that noise you know it's PET.

This is super strong, also.

This is super strong.

This is the end of the line...

This is very very strange.

This is where I am going to spend the next two years of my life.

This is where I grew up.

This isn't a bed, it's really just a chest of drawers.

This isn't a future.

This job was great. It was really good and important to me.

This one here?

This one. So good.

This piece of paper is in the left hand.

This used to be a very rough neighborhood.

This was done by the guy who is the most expensive living artist,

This was made by a British artist named Gavin Turk.

This whole area will be filled in with stuff.

To a grown, that would be just as happy...

To become recognized as an official sector...

To change the life of these people.

To come to America in 1983...

To consign a work...

To fill it up.

To think you guys have gone through my trash.

To work in a shoe with a pointy toe like that?

Transforming material and ideas...

TV. Fan.

Until you saw it?

Up until now, I've been responsible for bringing books to the association.

US$50,000.

Very cool, man!

Very happy.

Very restrictive place to be.

Very well, so from what I understand,

Vik Muniz, come on down!

Vik's made you conceited, Vik and Fabio.

Wait a minute, Playboy?

Watch the glass.

Watch the truck!

Watch the truck!

We are making portraits of the picker.

We are not pickers of garbage, we are pickers of recyclable materials.

We are working honestly.

We are working with the type of individuals that...

We better get out of here.

We built a recycling center without a single cent from the city.

We can shoot them in the studio also.

We created the association.

We feel good in here. I feel very good.

We go along.

We got here with some difficulty, but with dignity.

We had to survive somehow.

We have thousands of books...

We have to go there and see what they really need.

We have to think about the future...

We heard about Jardim Gramacho.

We improvised and put the mattress on top.

We make food on that stove.

We need to change that.

We see things that aren't pleasant.

We sold it for US$50,000.

We sold it mom.

We support ourselves with this material.

We supposedly worked together, but my share was always less.

We would get on the bus, and people would go like this.

We would weigh the material every day.

We'll make something out of garbage...

We're earning our living.

We're going to start a hunger strike here in front of the mayor's office.

We're here representing the 3,000 pickers of Jardim Gramacho.

Well we have paved roads and a sewage system now.

Well, maybe...

What a show off!

What are the dangers of working in a place like this?

What can they do...

What did you think of modern art before you went to the auction?

What I really want to do is to be able to change...

What is this and why are you doing it?

What they can recycle and what they can compost...

What we should do now is get rid of...

What would they like to show?

What you call...

What you see up there...

What?

What's all that mixed up over there, bottles, that hoses...

What's going to happen to them once you take them...

What's really impressive...

What's that?

What's this, man?

What's your name?

When I am going back to my car...

When I came back to New York I started drawing their faces with sugar...

When I can get a good cut of meat, I roast it for them.

When I moved here it was dirt, there were no paved roads, nothing.

When I said he's one of the greatest artists alive,

When I saw it being made, it was very big.

When I was a kid.

When I was poor I only wanted material things.

When I went to work there, I was too ashamed to tell anybody.

When it dried out I began to read.

When one thing turns into another is the most beautiful moment.

When the gate of the garbage truck fell off.

When the market produce ends up here in boxes, it's easier for me.

When we demonstrated they'd say That's not going to get you anywhere.

When we started this association, everyone laughed at us.

When you go to get your money you don't say it's dirty.

When you see the appetite for life...

When you talk about transformation...

When you're rich and famous.

Where are we exactly?

Where it looks better when you are close.

Which so far is the best part of what we encountered there?

Who am I to help anybody?

Who told you that, Vik?

Who worked 16 hour shifts in the sugar fields.

Who would marry me?

Why did you break up?

Why do you have to take somebody's life and change it forever?

Why do you think you are here?

Why'd you think it was crap?

With a big sign with his name, Carlos Igor.

With social projects...

With that afterwards here?

With the camera was going to do something like this?

With the dame materials that they deal with every day.

With the garbage from the poorest favela?

With the people that I was working with as I did.

With the people we have already made some contact with.

Would you like to come?

Wow that's great!

Wrote a review about it and later, the Museum of Modern Art...

X rays.

Yeah it's great that Zumbi picks them out of the trash and brings them here!

Yeah the trucks give us a ride up here.

Yeah, but we do.

Yeah, I feel right at home!

Yeah, I love it too.

Yeah, I started liking his stuff a lot more.

Yeah, it's not a problem.

Yeah, just drugs on a shelf.

Yeah, reading is so important.

Yeah, starting with my father, my own father.

Yeah, we have to buy them. They cost US$30.

Yeah, who's Marat?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Yes ma'am, that's your arm.

Yes, I make US$20 $25 a day.

Yes, it's the largest landfill in terms of the volume of trash received daily.

Yes, that's right.

Yes, there are a lot of rolls up there.

Yes, US$0.71 cents.

Yes.

Yes...

Yogurt comes along, whatever comes along, I eat it.

You are now part of an exclusive club that receives Playboy...

You can be sure that a lot of dead bodies will be dumped here.

You can do this, you could do that...

You can get further in, and sit up a bit more.

You can see what they're recycling over there.

You could collect things like that for me.

You could still be like them.

You did a good job Vik.

You didn't ask me, but I'm going to introduce myself.

You don't let me talk.

You don't like it?

You have no idea what this means to me.

You have one point of view.

You have to search for meaning in other things.

You haven't even built anything and you want to sell off the land.

You know be cool about it.

You know how I became famous all over the world?

You look like you're getting married.

You see huge buildings.

You see?

You want to dress up like mommy, in a sheet?

You were saying oh this is going to mess with their minds.

You'll be able to do some things to make life easier for the community.

You'll be back here...

You're crazy, that's not going anywhere!

You're going to sit here.

You're looking in that direction...

You're sowing, throwing grain like this.

You're the strong one. You are doing everything.

Your own beauty?

Your responsibility.

10 thousand pound.

12 thousand pounds.

12... 5

14 thousand pounds.

16 thousand pounds.

18 thousand pounds.

20 thousand pounds

20 thousand pounds.

20 thousand pounds.

22 thousand pounds.

25 thousand pounds.

25 thousand pounds.

28 thousand pounds.

70% of Rio's trash ends up here...

99 is not 100.

Amazing! Yeah.

Are they drunk? It looks like it.

Bring that bathtub! I'm going to play a dead guy.

But it's a lot heavier. But it's a lot heavier.

Bye Betania. Bye.

Bye, thank you. Bye, Isis.

Bye, thanks everyone! Bye Isis.

Can I just correct you on one point? Of course.

Come my dear. Thank you.

Come on, come on, look. My God.

Did you do that? Yes, with everyone's help.

Did you like it? Yes.

Do you have a price for it? Glass is US$0.06 cents per kilo.

Every day. Every day.

Five years. Five years?

Got it! Thank you, Tião!

Hi, how are you? Suelen.

How's it going? What's up?

I'm sowing. Yeah.

I'm Vik, a pleasure to meet you. A pleasure, I'm Tião.

Isis Rodrigo? Rodrigues.

Isn't that about right? Exactly.

It earns money. But that's interesting...

It looks like I could just pick it up. It's great.

It was dead? Yes.

Just like that. Like that?

Just white Paper. PET, metals.

Leaving already? Yes.

Marat was an intellectual... Oh, like me.

No? No, normally we don't.

Poor is the trash of the poor. I put my trash in little bags too.

Really bad. Awful. Really bad?

Since you were 11. At the landfill? Yes, at the landfill.

Six cents? It's cheaper than PET? Yeah, it's a lot cheaper.

Thank you. Thank you.

that's your arm. I see.

This is Fabio. Hi Fabio, how are you?

This is Valter dos Santos. Good morning!

We did it. Right.

Where are you going? Home.

Who I really like is Nietzsche. What about Nietzsche?

Yeah. No, that's not true.

You can bend them. We'll cut that out.

You made the pot. I did this.