A Rose and A Prayer is the first photobook by Ode, a multidisciplinary Brazilian artist working in the realms of directing, styling, writing, and curating. Composed by two photoshoots in Cidade Martins neighborhood and Favela do Coqueiro in Guarulhos (São Paulo, Brazil), this series is a study of Brazilian iconographies that challenge Western perceptions, which generally ignore the Global South as part of Latin American life.
Ode is constantly researching signs that connect Brazil, a Latin American country of the Global South, with other Latin American countries of the Global North. Through this research, an important topic that has emerged for her is religion and sacred symbols, which feature prominently in her work.
The artist also invited various friends to be part of the shoot and wear her pieces made from paper roses bought in a R$1.99 store, including her best friend, the singer, writer, filmmaker and visual artist Novíssimo Edgar, the actor Lucas Leto, Alanda Monteiro, a beautician she met in her hometown, and the renowned Brazilian singer Urias. Commissioned by COLORSxSTUDIOS last year, A Rose and A Prayer was photographed by Cássia Tabatini and Gabriel Cupaiolo, edited by Romeu Silveira with graphic design by frombrazilwithlovestudio. The book accompanied a text written by British writer and curator Cairo Clarke.
