In light of Rosa Gauditano's recent passing, we celebrate the power of her subjects and the artist's profound sensibility towards them.

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1955, Gauditano lent her lens to often overlooked subjects - outcasts who constituted an important part of the complex fabric of Brazilian ethnography. Her first series, Prostitutas, shot in 1975, captured with intimacy honesty young sex workers in a São Paulo brothel, unveiling scenes that, without her sensitivity, could only be imagined. In 1978, Gauditano shed light on the vibrant lesbian community of São Paulo, photographing scenes of joy, desire, and togetherness (a series referred to here as Forbidden Lives). But it was her later work extensively documenting the lives and traditions of indigenous peoples that brought the artist's practice to wider recognition.

In a modern world that rewards speed above all, we are reminded of the profound power of patient connection, respect, and sensitivity. Thank you, Rosa.

Mato Grosso do Sul, 2012. © Rosa Gauditano

"To do work that's difficult for people to engage with, you have to have time, you have to interact with people, you have to know them, you have to understand. […] In a job like this, sometimes you go and take one photo one day, you take two photos the next day… it's like sewing, you know? Embroidery. People have to feel comfortable to the point where they no longer see you and you start to become part of their group, and that's when the photos begin."

Rosa Gauditano

Prostitutas (1978)