Remnant of the land
Remnants of the Land (2017–2025) documents the resilience and struggles of small farmers and artisanal fishermen from the village of Água Preta, in northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Displaced by the construction of Porto do Açu — the largest private port in Latin America — the project highlights the impact of this transnational enterprise, initially led by Eike Batista’s EBX companies, on local communities.
Farmers report 13 deaths from sadness caused by displacement, and the work addresses human rights violations and environmental consequences such as soil salinization and the destruction of coastal ecosystems. In 2017, the farmers began organizing and resisting the expropriation of their lands.
The project also explores inequality in land distribution in Brazil, where 1% of the population controls more than 50% of the land, according to IBGE data. By documenting the life and resistance of these communities, the work underscores their crucial role in Brazil’s food security — as 70% of the food consumed in the country is produced by small farmers.
Remnants of the Land seeks to raise public awareness about the importance and resilience of these communities while addressing human rights violations and fundamental issues related to land concentration and the expansion of agribusiness, both of which were exacerbated by the financial and health crises of 2020.
