Doomed. Professions in extinction

the barber

walter, the shoemaker

jair, the other shoemaker

walter, hands on…

almost gone

Doomed. A photographic journey to professions to be extinct.

Document the sad fate of whole lives and professions that are ceasing to exist, due to no successors.

It’s happening now with shoemakers, barbers, embroiders, tailors and more.So many stories, so much history. We need to preserve the memory.

This project is an old dream, a journey into the past and back to the present, documenting and preserving the memory of those people, true artists that with their own hands helped to build what we, as a society, are today.

They were the fundamental artisans that turned simple handmade talent into whole businesses and art.

Today they are alone. Their sons, daughters and apprentices are not interested in the art anymore. Sometimes it seems that none of us are…They have no successors.

They look to fit in society through other ways as the demands of the world we live shifted dramatically. There is room to a lot of reflection here.
Machines versus men. Art versus mass production. Life versus death.

Transformation and change are words and realities that all of us have to deal with. It is part of our lives…but we need aknowledge that those human beings with their gifts, played a fundamental role in their time.

The memories of the old barber shop, the friendly and elegant tailor, the talented shoemaker, among so many others need to be honored.

the shoemaker

the book binder