We wanted to build a new and real image from the “favelas” in Rio. We didn’t want neither a negative look, nor a naïve one.

In order to do it, the main creative insight was to build a new image of Rio’s slums by the look of those who has talent and legitimacy to do it: the talented young dwellers from the “favelas”, empowering them with an instrument that could be able to capture the images of their communities and, at the same time, share it with the world: an iPhone.

We selected nine young non-professional photographers in 9 different “favelas” in Rio de Janeiro. Each one received an iPhone and a photo special workshop before getting the mission to register their daily lives, the landscapes from their communities, the dwellers with who they share their routine, etc.

The pictures were produced and shared on social networks during four months, from July 1st to October 31st. The website was launched in October.

After that, we selected 180 images and produced an art exhibition in the most noble art gallery of Rio de Janeiro (Modern Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro – MAM), from November to December. We also produced an art book based on the exhibition.

Both exhibition and the art book reinforced one of the iPhone main features: the quality of the camera. And we went one step ahead: we also proved the quality of people behind the cameras.

The project attributed to iPhone the role of a positive change maker tool. Using the iPhone, we were able to empower the invisible talented people from the communities, we shared a new look at “favelas” and we transformed it into art.

Many of the photos from our project were shared by our followers and have provoked an important public discussion regarding the prejudice and the stereotype associated to the “favela” image and to their dwellers, reaching a premium spontaneous media space in Brazilian and international media, on and off lines.

Favelagrafia reached about US$ 9,000.000.00 in spontaneous media, in high qualified TV channels, newspapers, sites and magazines, in Brazil and internationally. In only six months of project.

We exceeded the regular communication media and transformed the project into real art, with a really innovative exhibition in the main museum for modern art in the city. We also launched an art book.

Regarding to all of the spontaneous media that the project had, a famous fashion brand in Brazil (“Reserva”) decided to produce a “Favelagrafia” collection, also bringing an extra revenue to the photographers.