LOCKED UP - visual criminology
The Central Penitentiary of the State of Paraná (Brazil) withstand approximately 1480 inmates in the boundaries of the city of Curitiba.. Despite frequent overcrowding problems and precarious infrastructural condition, this penitentiary is by no means the worst in Brazil.
To be able to get inside it took us around 6 months to gather all the signed authorization forms from the Government sectors of Brazil. Luckily, we got all the permission necessary, because the penitentiary had a 40 year media shut-out til then.
Locked Up is a collaboration with Prof. Dr. Maurício Stegemann Dieter, a criminology specialist (Brazil).
Poems are written by Lydia Nikolova (UK).
"In times when to splurge is cool, everyone is perfect and happy forever and many artists are self-proclaimed gurus and messiahs, the photographer Milcho Pipin finds poetry where nobody cares, where nobody wants to go, where no one wants to look..."
- Paulo Barros (São Paolo, Brazil)
director · casting director · actor preparer · actor
/ teather / cinema / television /
THE MAN THROUGH THE KEYHOLE
When your thoughts hopelessly march through your heart,
even the deepest secrets and wishes
dig inside your heart
trying to get out.
And in the midnight glory you fight with the moon
trying to keep it all hidden...
trying to avoid their judgmental eyes...
trying to destroy every opportunity that comes your way,
even when they say they've made a mistake.
Admittedly attacking the memories,
fighting off the shackles and the metal bars,
you still don't realize that the flame inside you can save you from the dungeon.
You walk past the lucky fountain, and throw a coin
although, at night, you sleep with a black cat...
Every breath takes you closer to death
and the guilt inside you is stronger than the hope.
Don't wait to wake up one day and regret the things you didn't say,
the things you didn't do,
the people you didn't see.
You are just a man!
Don't let the roses on your grave one day
be full of sorrow and tears because you never gave your love.
Look through the keyhole and tell them you love them now...
Tomorrow may be too late.
"Only God knows our time of death."
"Só Deus sabe a nossa hora."
- Edimilson Aparecido Ortiz de Freitas
offense: /
sentence: /
"I'm gonna pay off my debt and that's it. All that is here, is just suffering."
"Vou pagar minha conta e basta, é só sofrimento."
- Osvaldo Martins Neves
offense: /
sentence: 35 years
"I'm imprisoned, not a prisoner!"
"Estou presa, não sou presa!"
- Carolina Motta de Oliveira
offense: /
sentence: 13 years
I LOVED AND I KILLED
The black harness hinted of his name and nature
He was walking on water, sailing on land,
His horse was not saddled, his sword on his back
He gave me his hand and I foolishly went.
With my hands full of lust I killed on the way,
All souls that have saved me to that day,
I thought only of me and my handsome black knight
And wrapped my thoughts around the fairytale - tight.
But I was a fool to love him too much,
I was wrong to care so strong
He was a warrior and a traveller,
And left me broken-hearted,
And I became like him, knowing that it’s wrong.
Now blood on my hands, I weep every night
I pray to the saint that promised me light.
The promises ring so strong in my ears:
“Don’t kill my friend; don’t lie to your dears;
I’ll have your back every minute of the day
But you have to be as good as me
And you will be okay.
And one of these nights, I’ll return your knight,
This time in white harness
And heart full of light.”
"Oddly enough, I've never felt so free in my entire life!"
"Por incrível que pareça, nunca me senti tão livre em toda minha vida!"
- Janine Cardoso Soares
offense: /
sentence: 9 years
"Better here than death. Here, there's time for a new life."
"Antes aqui do que a morte, aqui há tempo para uma nova vida."
- Jhonathan Rodrigo de Jesus
offense: /
sentence: /
