Picture Stories
Filipa Cê is a photographer and a psychologist working and volunteering with marginalised communities and refugees in Portugal, Greece and Afghanistan. Filipa created the Arzo Project to portray the reality of refugees, and to bring awareness about their little-known reality.
“To give a project a title is also to give it a name. Arzo is a Persian name derived from the word ‘arzoo’, which means desire, longing, hope.”
Filipa delivers participatory photography workshops for educators, social workers and professionals that work with communities at risk of social exclusion. Participatory photography is a great tool for social inclusion of migrants and refugees, as it supports community members to use images to communicate their needs and challenges, and gives them an opportunity to share their reality with the wider public and decision makers.
Filipa says:
“Art has a unique power to evoke emotions, and photojournalism is one of the most faithful-to-the-subject art forms. I chose photography not only as an art vehicle, but mostly as a documental record. When words fail, images speak and immerse us in the stories they contain. One single photograph can touch us deeply and connect us with the portrayed person or environment. With so many misconceptions in the western countries, it is crucial to promote critical thinking and generate a dialogue.”
Photography as a means of artistic and social expression was chosen by Filipa to make a strong impact on the viewers, to represent the people in our tiny corner of the Atlantic and bring “far away” realities closer, to raise awareness and encourage critical thinking and dialogue.
URB_ART spoke to Filipa Cê, a photographer and a psychologist working with marginalised communities and refugees in Portugal, Greece and Afghanistan. (www.projectoarzo.com). Pictures are courtesy of Filipa Cê and CNAIM Lisboa
Links: Instagram
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