As fotografias de Antônio Francisco de Faria: a memória subterrânea de São Roque de Minas

Abstract

This research approaches the archive produced by the photographer Antônio Francisco de Faria (popularly known as Antônio do Chico), from São Roque de Minas, Minas Gerais, the same city where the historical source of the São Francisco River is located. For 37 years (Jan. 1969 to Dec. 2005), Antônio do Chico made and stored more than 100,000 negatives and enlarged photos. This is a study about being a photographer and about their importance to a local society. The access to photography as a social activity has been growing, and, as a result, we tend to forget the fundamental work done by photographers who learned how to register reality around them in silver salts, to enlarge negatives, to coat paper, and to wait patiently for the development of photos. When the world is saturated with images and photography is even used to replace experiences, it is essential to rescue and reaffirm the importance of these historical archives that require dedication, deep involvement and the desire of preservation in the process of restoring the images and consequently the memory.