║ Andrej Balco ║

© Andrej Balco, from the series Domesticas, 2007

Edgar Peixoto [49 years old] – HOUSEHOLD SERVANT | Sluha
My dream is to see my children graduated. I started to work when I was 8 years old.
Lily Marinho [86 years old]
Total protection for children and the elderly. The discovery of medicines to cure illnesses that kill thousands of people, and the disappearance of hunger which causes so much grievousness to humanity. I don‘t consider what I do as tiring work. On the contrary, it gives me the pleasure of being with people who show solidarity with the work of helping forsaken infants and with cultural activities

“The portraits of Brazilian domestic servants confront both, master and servant, two environments and two characters, the world of reality and dreams. In many of the photographs it’s as if a dividing line has emerged, separating the two very different lives. A sensitive and deep portrayal of the relations with respect to those being photographed emerged, even though Balco’s sense of humor, exaggeration, and even sarcasm are on display. The portraits impress with their dignity and are at the same time monumental. The selected photographs are connected to stories, acquainting us with two different worlds: the luxury of the middle class and the common Latin-American standard, many times interwoven with compositions from life on the street. The detailed severely posed en face portraits are compiled into triptychs where selected “work“ surroundings supplement the confrontation of the master and the servant.”
Lucia Benická, June 2008

A pdf with the complete project can be found here
And Andrej’s website here