Sunday, November 27, 2011

Waste Land Influence

     In Waste Land, artist Vik Muniz is creating art with the recyclable materials from the world's largest dump in Brazil. To do this, he asks the pickers of recyclables to help him. He took them to a studio, away from their lives at the dump, and showed them an alternative lifestyle.

Vik: Vik knew that he had to be careful when taking the workers away from their lives because it was so different from what they grew up with. He also believed that even though they were happy with their situation, like Valter, Irma and Tiao, he needed to mess with their minds a bit. This way, they can better themselves. 

Vik's Wife: She doesn't want Vik to mess with their heads because she is concerned with what would happen after the project. How would the workers cope, knowing that there is much more out there and they are working at a dump?

     My opinion: I think that what Vik did was good. I believe that people need to learn about what goes on in the world so they don't feel like they have to stay where they are. Not that all of the workers hated being there, but you could see that there were some out there who felt like they wanted to do something more with their lives. I felt that it was the women who worked as pickers wanted to do something else, but they couldn't. Many said that because of their situation, it was either do this, or sell drugs and go into prostitution.
     I think that in the end, the experience did work out well for the workers. It gave the workers a way to tell their story, like Magna and Isis. They both fell on hard time, and had a hard life, and I think that by talking to the camera, they received a sort of therapeutic release. This projects has also changed many of the workers lives. At the end of the documentary, it tells the audience about how each of the workers are doing now. Zumbi had enough money to build the library that he's been wanting for the ACAMJG, Suelem  has quit her job, got married and, baught a house and has a boy and Magna now works at a pharmacy.
     As you can see, Vik coming to the dump and talking to the workers was really good for them. It seems that everybody is now happy with their lives and it was all because of Vik's influence. 

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