Portraits of Identity: by Rodrigo Oliveira

By (author): Rodrigo Oliveira

Title: Portraits of Identity:

Subtitle: The Lenses of Rody Oliveira

Blurb:

In the heart of Rio de Janeiro, where the sun kisses the sea and the streets hum with resilience, a community stands radiant in its truth. This book is a tribute to identity—an intimate collection of portraits capturing the essence of people of color from the LGBTQIA+ community. Through every gaze, every gesture, and every shadow of light, these images speak of joy, struggle, love, and liberation. Here, identity is not just seen—it is celebrated, honored, and immortalized.

In early 2019, I returned to Rio de Janeiro after five years away. The city was the same, yet everything had changed. A dark political tide loomed, threatening the rights and safety of people like me—Black, queer, from the suburbs. Still, even in the face of uncertainty, our community refused to be silenced. We thrived, resisting the conservatism the new president sought to impose. In response, I picked up my camera.

The project that led to this book, Carioca, Negro & Queer, was put on hold during the dark years of the pandemic. When life slowly returned to normal, so did my focus—but it had shifted. I turned my lens toward my hometown, Barra de Guaratiba, drawn to quieter moments, seeking a different kind of intimacy. That’s also when I made the transition to film photography, allowing the process itself to slow me down, to be more present with my subjects.

This book is a love letter to my community, a subversion of the narratives imposed on us. It captures the beauty of a quiet afternoon with my partner, the electricity of a night out, and the creative force of Black queer artists reclaiming their space. It is a reflection of what I have lived, a testament to the intimacy and connection that shaped me.

Through these frames—through my transition from digital to film, from observer to participant—I found not only my voice but a shared language of tenderness, resistance, and joy.

This is Rio, as seen through our eyes.

ISBN: 978-87-7620-481-5

Book language: English

Publishing house: Snap Collective

Website: www.snap-collective.com

Editorial Assistant: Natalia Manole

Designer: Natalia Sweetkovskaya

Published on: in production

Category: Art

Price (€): 129

Keywords: portraits, portraiture, photography, film, rio de janeiro, carioca, Brazil, identity, culture, lgbtqia, queer, people, diversity, LGBTQIA+, Rio, art