Tanara Stuermer
–> Publication of the book “Tanara Stuermer Altinha,” published by Loco, 2026, available at the gallery.
It was through her studies of image theory while pursuing a degree in history in southern Brazil that Tanara Stuermer discovered the documentary power of photography. She began taking photographs in 2009 and was initially drawn to street photography, using her images to explore moments of life and solitude in Rio de Janeiro, the city where she has lived for 18 years.
Today, she pushes the boundaries of photography by juxtaposing opaque and translucent prints that overlap. This allows her to highlight, in the series “Altinha,” the
movements of bodies within the image and to convey what she feels when watching beach soccer in Rio de Janeiro. With this series, she won the FotoRio Revelation Award in 2023. Her work is part of the “Un fonds photographique brésilien” collection at the French National Library.
“Altinha is a popular game played on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro: Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana, Leme, etc… The game involves keeping the ball in the air without using your hands. This quintessential Rio sport emerged in the 1960s and is best played near the water, where your feet won’t get burned by the hot sand. I’ve always loved watching this sport. From the very beginning, I’ve found the spirit of camaraderie that binds the players to be wonderful. They aren’t competing against each other. There’s no rivalry. They all share the same playful goal: to keep the ball from touching the ground.”
“I created a narrative, a choreography, as if it were set to the beat of a drum, in a movement that unfolds within a single image.”
“I sought to break down the Altinha into sequences inspired by the works of Eadweard Muybridge and Étienne-Jules Marey.
Today, for me, Altinha and Capoeira (this Afro-Brazilian martial art that is as much a martial art as it is a dance) have finally come together. Both are unifying, inclusive, and democratic; both require flexibility, adaptability, and harmony. They are activities that foster relationships of solidarity and equality among the participants.” Tanara Stuermer
