The Urbe series depicts the city as a metaphor. It takes the iconography of the built environment to emphasize photography as a language, as a means capable of informing and deluding at the same time. The silence of the buildings, the absence of people, the unreality of colors as well as the imprecision of shapes allude to the idea of mirage, of deception. In these tragic pandemic times, the images aproach dystopia, the cityscape as a shelter for dreams and desires that fade in the passage of time.
José Roberto Bassul was born in Rio and lives in Brasilia. His photography turns to architecture and urban environment as an attempt "to draw thoughts, project desires and built spaces for the imagination". He has received several awards and his works has often been exhibited in festivals, galleries and museums in solo and group shows in Brazil and abroad. He has published two photobooks. His works are held in important private and public collections such as those of National Museum of Republic (Brasilia), Art Museum of Rio, Museum of Modern Art (Rio) and Museum of Photography (Fortaleza).
