Vik Muniz Optimism In Wasteland

It seems as though it’s a natural reaction when people, seeing other people in need of something, help those around them. That help may pertain to the people in the helper’s community, or the helper may be doing good deeds in another part of the world. In instances where the helper is not part of a relief organization, such as the Red Cross, their help can either be viewed as an intrusion or as being beneficial. In the film Wasteland, directed by Lucy Walker, Vik Muniz goes into Jardim Gramacho with the sole intention of photographing the catadores and using the images as his muse, but by the end of the film, it is easy to see that Muniz’s presence changed the catadores in ways no one could have imagined. The first notable change viewers encounter reveals itself as the optimism the catadores gain from Muniz’s presence. These people who pick through the landfill severely lack optimism at the beginning of the film, but Muniz’s optimism shines through right off the bat. Even before he ever arrives at Jardim

He had dedicated so much of himself to the organization, but he wasn’t seeing anything come of it. When the image of himself sold at the auction for a large sum of money, Tiaò broke into tears (Wasteland). Someone spent good money on his portrait, and that alone is enough to increase anyone’s self-worth.

Tiaò and Magna are only two examples. Many of the other catadores gained a sense of self-worth and potential from Muniz’s presence. The work Muniz was doing assisted in the catadores translation of worth. After working with Muniz, they knew they were worth more than the disgusted looks someone gave them while on the bus. The catadores came to realize that they themselves define their self-worth, and with that self-worth, comes the potential to better their