A mandatory stop for any photographer in Belém: the Ver-o-Peso public market defies documentary tradition of photography. On one hand there is a wealth of characters, colors and textures, in short, an inexhaustible source for the production of scenes, on the other hand, the faithful representation of the environment becomes impossible through images, due to the profusion of sounds, scents and vibration that the market offers. Erected in 1901 to meet the commercial importance of the city at the time, the Ver-o-Peso has become a cultural symbol of Brazil, and is now considered the largest open market in Latin America. There, shooting seizes to be the construction of images, and becomes a mere excuse for getting lost in the alleys filled with all sorts of things and memorable surprises.
Text and Image: Wagner Souza e Silva.