Art in Dialogue with Cristiano Burmester Framing Place: Photography, Perspective, and Storytelling

Photography is often understood as a way of documenting reality, but every photograph reflects choices about what to include, what to leave out, where to stand, and whose story to tell. As part of LUAG’s Art in Dialogue conversation series, photographer and scholar Cristiano Burmester will draw from his work documenting Brazil, artists’ responses to recent political movements, and the power of collective labor and social capital to explore photography as both a form of visual storytelling and a democratic medium.

Through examples from his own practice and the history of photography, Burmester will consider how images can document social, humanitarian, and political realities; create space for response and dialogue; and shape the ways communities understand place, identity, and belonging. Connecting experiences in Brazil with contemporary issues in the United States, the conversation will invite attendees to look beyond the frame and consider how photography can help us document where we are, understand one another, and imagine the future we want to share.

Space is limited. Please register in advance.

If you require assistance filling out this form, prefer to share your registration information via email or phone, or have questions, concerns, or any accessibility needs, please email Elise at ejs421@lehigh.edu or call 610-758-6882.\

Cristiano Burmester is the founder of Mester Communication, located in São Paulo, Brazil. An editorial and audiovisual production company. Has worked for Brazilian and international clients such as: UNDP, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Maersk, SENAC Publishing, Globo, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, National Geographic, Reebok, SmartFit and Sony.

He is the author of the books: Himalaya, Brazilian Sea: fauna and flora and Urban Art, People of the Sea, among other titles. Produced and directed documentaries on themes like: marine sustainability, coastal communities, artisanal fishing, education challenges, smart cities. Has exhibited his work in different institutions, museums and galleries in Brazil and abroad.

Teaching has always been a part of his professional career. He is a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo for 20 years, teaching undergraduate and graduate students in the areas courses for Journalism, Communications and Language Studies.

Art in Dialogue is a series of interdisciplinary conversations between members of the university and the wider community - reflecting the ways in which their work is dynamically engaged with other fields of inquiry.