Colloquium with John and Jan French: "Fear and Lucidity Walk Hand in Hand"

Drs. Jan and John French will present the first written work from their recent photo project and book-in-progress, Pure Photojournalism’? Event, Truth, and Narrative in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1979-1980.

The paper up for discussion is entitled "Fear and Lucidity Walk Hand in Hand: Photojournalists Curate an Exhibition in the Aftermath of the 1979 Metalworkers Strike in the Industrial ABC region of Greater Sao Paulo, Brazil."

Less than a month after the 1979 strike of 200,000 local metalworkers, eight young photographers at the region’s daily newspaper—supported by its photography editor—organized a public exhibition of 93 photographs taken during this 15-day movement. Held at a theater made available by a sympathetic city government, it attracted thousands of viewers. This paper examines the declared impulses behind this unique exhibition about an event that challenged the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964-1985) and galvanized local and national politics. The original negative sequences—from which photos were chosen for newspaper publication and/or for the exhibition—with a focus on the first day of the strike that was featured in the dramatic exhibition leaflet.

To receive an advance copy of the paper, and to ensure that we have enough food, please email jfrench6@gmail.com to RSVP by Friday, November 7.  Please note, this material will be in draft form only, does not reflect a finished product, and is not intended for distribution for anything other than the purposes of this colloquium.

John D. French is Professor of History at Duke University.

Jan H. French is Associate Professor of Anthropology, Emerita at University of Richmond.

Lunch will be provided.