(based on a true story). David Alan Harvey.

(based on a true story). David Alan Harvey (USA).

Photographs by David Alan Harvey
Layout and design by Bryan Harvey
Producer: Eva-Maria Kunz
Coordinator: Diego Orlando
Production: Andrea Barbato, Michael Courvoisier, Candy Pilar Godoy

Published by BurnBooks, June 2012. Edition of 600 copies.

[Purchase: Burn]

Here it is: (based on a true story) by David Alan Harvey. Harvey spent over 2 years travelling to Rio and capturing its culture, energy and vibrant life. He also set up a website (the RIO book) giving an opportunity to follow the real time progress of the project and to interact.

(based on a true story) is beautiful, playful, sexy, magical, dynamic and pure fun! It is Harvey’s personal journey to Rio: full of mysteries, drama, joy, passion and colours. Harvey went everywhere (rich and poor areas of the city): beach, night club, market, streets, favella. This is a mystery tale, not about Rio but set in Rio.

The book comes in a nice shipping box (keep it!) from the publisher. A postcard contains few keys on how to “read” it and a map to give you some initial directions. Creative! You have to touch it, feel it, smell it, rebuild it and just enjoy. There is very little text, it is all visual. All the pages are hold together by a blue string, but once you take them apart the game begins. You can follow “the map” to see how it works: rearranging images you start the story and create different paths. Not only each picture is very strong, but they also work in pairs reinforcing each other and creating certain dynamic.

This book is obviously not for every taste, but it is a gorgeous object with creative design and powerful photographs. Rio’s vibrant life, energy and people reflected not only through the photographs but also through the construction of the narrative. You can almost invent your own book (and here lies danger: are you up for that?!)

(and newspaper version of the book will be distributed for free in the favelas of Rio.)

More
Demo video from burn magazine