Shot in a single take atop 4 World Trade Center and released at sunrise exactly 12 years ago, on September 12, 2013, New Beginnings remains one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on.
Created as a tribute to a city I came to call home, after the attacks of September 11, it still feels as raw and emotional as the morning we set out at 4 a.m. to capture it.
On that windy, gray morning, New York City Ballet principal dancers @realmkowroski and @asklacour performed @wheeldony ’s choreography to After the Rain, set to Arvo Pärt’s “Spiegel im Spiegel.”
@joaounzer and I were just two young creatives, giggling with excitement, as you can hear in one of the clips in this post. We couldn’t believe that two Brazilians could create a tribute to New York City, around such a historical moment, in that setting, with that incredible group of people—and sometimes I still can’t.
Advertising can really suck and be damaging to the world at times, so I’m especially grateful for this piece, which is neither.
I’m also thankful for the fearless team that made it possible, including the best client a creative could ask for, Karen Girty (NYC Ballet Marketing Director); @mattinnewyork , our CCO at the time; @edzazzera , the best Head of Production in town; @juancarlospagan , the designer rockstar; @mennokluin ; @streetgrit ; Lauren Neuman; @cinnastix ; @terida ; @ninameredith ; Zamile Vilakazi; @briangartside ; @ampersandaaron . Directed by @davi_russo and @radicalmedia .
When I first ventured to Coney Island, my love affair with the amusement park, the beach, and the people who inhabit there, began. ⠀
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Entering Coney Island is like stepping into another culture. There is a sense of escape from daily worries, and much pleasure, whether sunbathing on the beach, riding an amusement or walking the boardwalk. It is a fantasyland where it’s fine to be unique and to not follow society standards.⠀
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‘Citizens of Coney Island’ shows my romance with this iconic historical place.
My Fashion Week shoots started completely out of the blue.⠀
Thanks to @latiff_napoleon , I signed a contract to shoot the London Fashion Week in 2008 and found myself scrambling to learn a professional camera. No joke.⠀
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Until today I remember the adrenaline when the lights turn off and the silence right before the show starts.⠀
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Fortunately, it went so well and I’ve shot London, Lisbon and Sao Paulo Fashion Weeks after it.
This was definitely the best project I've worked on. ⠀
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As a gift to NYC, during the September 12 sunrise, 12 years after the attacks, we released New Beginnings, a film directed by Davi Russo and shot on top of the 4 World Trade Center, one of the buildings that was rebuilt after the attacks.⠀
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NYCB Principal Dancers, Maria Kowroski and Ask la Cour, performed “After the Rain”, a choreography built around the idea of rebirth, with the dancers standing up, picking each other up and lifting themselves up.⠀
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They start the dance as two, representing the Twin Towers, and finish as one taller and single piece, symbolizing the new One World Trade Center.
If you haven't heard @wearepordosol yet, do yourself a favor and check their playlists on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/prdsl).⠀
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Here are some posters I did for their analog parties at the Soho Grand Hotel. 🎛
When I first ventured to Coney Island, my love affair with the amusement park, the beach, and the people who inhabit there, began. ⠀
⠀
Entering Coney Island is like stepping into another culture. There is a sense of escape from daily worries, and much pleasure, whether sunbathing on the beach, riding an amusement or walking the boardwalk. It is a fantasyland where it’s fine to be unique and to not follow society standards.⠀
⠀
‘Citizens of Coney Island’ shows my romance with this iconic historical place.
"Our house is being destroyed, our forests are being cut down, we are being poisoned and we need your help."⠀
These were the words of indigenous leader Watatakalu when we first met to brainstorm an idea to raise money to help them fight against the oppression coming from the current government. ⠀
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The ‘Xingu Woman Movement’ is today one of the most relevant and organized feminist groups within the Brazilian native society. Based in Xingu Indigenous Park, this group aims to fight for all native women's emancipation and for more participation in local and national political decisions.⠀
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This project shows how important these women are in protecting the forest they live in. Shot in April 2019 and released in the biggest indigenous protest in Brazil’s Federal District in the same month, it’s an invitation for everyone to join forces with them, making their voices louder and their message heard.
The Ribeirinhos - or River Dwellers - are people who live on the riverbank in the Amazon rainforest. Their population is estimated at 37.000.
The Ribeirinhos suffer from lack of healthcare, sanitation and education. Most of them can only see a doctor once a year, which is when this project happens.
Today, coronavirus is hitting hard the Amazon region, making the access to the Ribeirinhos even harder.
They are lacking in basic needs and you can help by donating to:
https://www.catarse.me/projeto_saude_solidaria_2020
Nobody Stands Between Me and My Camden is a graffiti @rogo.castro and I did a while ago when living in London back in 2008.⠀
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It’s located in Camden Town, one of the most alternative areas in the UK (at least it used to be). It is also known for being the neighborhood where Amy Winehouse lived and started her career, so we thought it could be a good place to pay a tribute.⠀
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Luckily, the tribute was very appreciated and Amy Winehouse herself posed for a few pictures in front of the mural.
Looking back, the graffiti wasn’t good at all, but to have Amy in front of it, a few months before she passed away, make it a very special piece for me.
When I first ventured to Coney Island, my love affair with the amusement park, the beach, and the people who inhabit there, began. ⠀
⠀
Entering Coney Island is like stepping into another culture. There is a sense of escape from daily worries, and much pleasure, whether sunbathing on the beach, riding an amusement or walking the boardwalk. It is a fantasyland where it’s fine to be unique and to not follow society standards.⠀
⠀
‘Citizens of Coney Island’ shows my romance with this iconic historical place.
