joi, 12 iunie 2008

Romania in ochii altora.

Pentru mine a fost socanta aceasta galerie.
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Artist's Comments
Liviu and George. Two homeless kids in Brasov, Romania.

All my previous descriptions were about diseases, poverty and hunger. Hardly a surprise - one cannot ignore it. Misery is an integral part of their lives. But there is also brotherhood, comradery and hope.

For a better life. For a better world.

Artist's Comments
Nicoleta. She grew up in the orphanages at the time when Ceasescu was in power. The conditions in the orphanages were horrible, she testifies: the only time the kids weren't neglected was when they were being sexually abused. All the kids ended up on the streets after they turned 18 and were released from the orphanages.

James Nachtwey made a very well-known documentary about it. [link]

Powerful photographs. Photographs that actually triggered a change. The orphanages are excellent now, materially. Bordering on luxurious. But the attitude hasn't changed yet. The mentality is still the same... The opposite way of life in the orphanages has the same results: when the kids are released they are too used to the relative wealth in the safehouses. They don't know how to take care of themselves. So they still end up on the streets.

Some things are hard to change.

Artist's Comments
One of the streetkids, Victor, doing glue. Aurolac. It destroys their stomach and lungs.

Artist's Comments
Liviu and Tenake, two homeless kids who live in the sewers of Brasov, Romania. During the day they come to the railway station to beg, to steal, to fight and to prostitute themselves. Sometimes they are calm and nice, sometimes they are aggressive and out of control. Most of the kids are ill in some way. Skin diseases from the horrible hygienic condition in the sewers, where they sleep amidst garbage and faeces. Missing fingers or a foot that froze off in winter. Genital diseases from prostitution and rape. Internal diseases from the lack of food and Aurolac, the glue they are high on all day long.

When I took this picture they were hanging around in small groups at the railway station. Looking to grab a purse, waiting for the next paedophile. Begging for food and trying to pass time, hopefully getting through another day. The taller boy on the right, Tenake, had just stolen some cigarettes from a tourist. He had attacked me earlier that day, trying to steal my camera, but right now he was enjoying his small victory. Liviu, the other boy, was so high on Aurolac I don't think he knew what he was doing.

Artist's Comments
I just came back from Romania. Tough experience at times. I photographed some things I wish I had not even seen. But I know why I did it. I will not be posting any other pics the coming week(s), first I want to finish the whole series, and write text to accompagny the photographs.


The kid on the left is mentally handicapped, the boy on the right has a skin disease. They have no homes. And there were many, many more kids like these. They live under bridges, in the sewers, at the railway station. During the day they are mostly high on glue, and they beg, prostitute themselves or steal. During the night they rape the girls in their group of homeless kids, fight with other groups, and try to rest amidst garbage and faeces in the sewers.

I wanted to take them to a hospital and pay for them to get proper treatment. Maybe I could have paid for two, or three, or even four or five of them. But I didn't. Instead I talked to them, laughed with them, cared about them... and photographed them. I know that once this documentary is finished and shown to the public, more money will be raised, and these kids might get proper care; not just once and not just two or three of them, but who knows, the whole group?

At the moment itself it is hard to press that shutter... Very hard.

Images and comments : http://elus1v.deviantart.com/
(by ZuZa)

miercuri, 11 iunie 2008

Romanii fericiti nu traiesc in Romania :)

Am dreptate? E minunat sa fii roman in strainatate (ma refer la tarile europene excluzand Spania si Italia). Nu ma intelegeti gresit! Imi ador tara dar nu si oamenii, institutiile si viatza din ea. Romania este tara de care vrei sa scapi, tara din care daca pleci ti-e greu sa te intorci si mai ales esti prost daca te intorci. Este suficient sa te uiti la TV ca sa vezi cum scandalurile nu iau sfarsit, cum se mentin de la un post la altul, de la o emisiune la alta. Poate ne-am saturat, poate vrem sa fie mediatizate mai mult "plusurile". Oamenii nu se vor indrepta daca voi mediatziati numai raul, si ne vom face de cacat din ce in ce mai grav. Un profesor este cunoscut in toata lumea fiindca intr-un exces de panica a atacat un elev care il agresa verbal, dar stie cineva ca profesorul si-a lansat a 7-a carte in urma cu 2 saptamani?. In televiziune mai nou se critica sprancenele oamenilor publici. In fine, "prostu rade de prost ca cica prostu nu prea stie".


(by Lucian)

marți, 10 iunie 2008

La Euro 2008 cu stomacu gol. trist

Suntem deja fascinati de rezultatul de 0-0 al Romaniei in meciul cu Franta. Dar...e doar un egal. In schimb Olanda sa pisat pe Italia destul de lejer. Cred ca am tras un pic de caca cand am vazut 3-0.
Nu pot sa spun decat ca ne mandrim degeaba. Suntem la euro da murim de foame (ca sa nu mai zic ca am intrat in UE si tot morti de foame suntem).
In rest, ca sa nu ne abatem de la subiectul "Romania- o tara de cacat", ne continuam cu drag campania electorala. "Numele meu este Costel Nihaha, sunt candidat independent, iar daca ma alegeti am sa ridic capitala la cele mai inalte NIVELURI. Am sa fac trotuare si parcari subterane, spatii verzi si statii de metrou." raspuns? "Ne pisam pe troutarele si parcarile tale...noi...MURIM DE FOAME". In fine, se termina in sfarsit si scoala si multi dintre noi(printre care si eu) plecam la mare (la noi in tara pentru ca "ca la noi la nimeni"). Iar in final ca sa ma incadrez si eu .... muie PSD fortza PD-L si Traian Basescu. Si Mircea Badea rupe norma :X.


DUPA CE MOR SA MA IUBITI CA PE 2PAC!
(by Lucian)

Multa muie !


Asa dragilor, MUIE! De ce as cenzura un cuvant care nu face rau ... cand Romania nu cenzureaza nimic?
Hai sa va spun o mica povestioara... ca sa intelegeti ilustrul titlu.
Astazi ajung eu la bloc.. si copiii sar pe mine. Nimic neobisnuit pana aici.
Apoi, ne jucam noi ce ne jucam... si le aud :
-Sa-i spunem?
-Nu, nu... mai bine nu.
-Eu vreau sa-i spun!

Curioasa cum sunt, intreb "Ce sa-mi spuneti?"
Se uita unii la altii si dintr-o data ma ia Ancuta de mana.
-Vino!
-Ok...

Urmatoarea faza poate fi redata doar prin dialog:
Eu: Ce?
Ancuta: Aici era!
E: Ceeee? (gandindu-ma la un prezervativ)
A: Pai.. cum sa-ti zic. Era un nene si ... (gesticuleaza)
E: Si-a desfacut pantalonii? (ramasesem masca)
A: Da..
E: Si.. a facut pipi?
A: Nu... a... (gesticuleaza o laba)
E: Era boschetar, nu?
A: Ah, nu. Avea masina si era in costum...


Doamneeeeeeeeeeeee... m-au apucat toate spumele. Cum domne?!
Traim in jungla ? Copiii de 6-12 ani sa se uite la un retardat care face laba la colt de drum?
Eu p-ala il apucam de MUIE si i-o rupeam. Scarbosu' dracului.
In fata unor copiii... doamne... pe mine m-au apucat toti nervii cand eram prin Militari si am vazut un boschetar facand asta.
Unde e decenta? A disparut ca si sansele Romaniei de a deveni cu adevarat o tara respectata de cei din afara, nu?
Ca tot am adus vorba de Romania... ma gandeam intr-o zi, mergand pe strada, admirand afisele electorale... cum ar fi sa se fi investit toti banii din campaniile electorale, intr-o campanie ANTI-SIDA?
Sa fi fost tot Bucurestiu' invadat de "FOLOSITI PREZERVATIVU INCONSTIENTILOR!"... si jos, mic : "Campanie sprijinita de cei care candideaza pentru postul la Primaria Capitalei. Noi nu ne improscam cu noroi. Noi chiar facem ceva"
Uite ma, pentru asa ceva mi-ar da lacrimile si m-as simti patrioata.
Dar nu... nu se poate... trebuie sa se injoseasca in discutii inutile si afise pentru care se taie copaci aiurea.
Ce lume de cacat!
Azi sunt scarbita... (by ZuZa)