Guy Veloso. Nossa Senhora das Dores-SE. 2003. Negativo/gelatin silver print.

“Penitents”, “Feeders” or “Brothers of Souls” are groups of secret brotherhoods that pray all night long for the “suffering spirits”. Covered with blankets or sheets, of rigid manners, mystics, some of them practice self-flagellation. The series exposed at the Biennale is part of the original project: “Penitents: rites of blood to the fascination of the world’s end”. Initiated in 2002, shots were made with analog equipment, curated by Rosely Nakagawa where until 2010 they were photographed 118 confraternities in the five regions of Brazil.