Firmino Bom Jesus da Silva

 

Wandering the streets of São Tomé e Príncipe, one day, I felt exhausted, after 4 weeks of photography, 23 rolls of film after - it was the 24.12.23 and back home family and friends were celebrating Christmas. I was walking the streets looking for sense. The day Jesus and I met, I didn’t see him, he saw me and called me out, waving, signalizing to come to him. So I did. We introduced each other and I sat down next to him. We conversed about the day, the sun, life, religion, traveling, he had just finished work. He told me that he had lived in France, Italy and Germany, about his studies in economics and administration, about coming back to São Tomé. I listened closely, we spoke in French and English. I so much enjoyed the moment and I almost couldn’t believe the beauty of it.

 

For me, these are photos that feel real and true, conversing, getting to know each other, sharing respect. Listening. Maybe there will never be a photo in the end - though there was a conversation. 

 

Jesus asked me what I did with my camera, I showed him some of the photos I had made in São Tomé e Príncipe. As We looked at each other and I asked him if I may, he agreed. The photo you see here is the last photo I made. Before that I had made some monochrom ones. I stood up, we had already shaken hands and said good bye. One more time he said to me: “take one more shot, with the sun kissing my face”. I did. “God bless you, walk with peace”, he said to me. 

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Jesus and I talk on the phone once in a while. He gave me permission to show his photo and it was also chosen as the exhibition poster in Berlin.