Ricardo Rangel
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Achiles Rangel (February 15, 1924 - June 11, 2009) was a Mozambican
photojournalist and photographer.
, Portuguese East Africa
in February 1924. His father was a Greek businessman and Rangel was of African, European and Chinese descent. Rangel was raised by his African grandmother in the impoverished suburbs surrounding Lourenço Marques, while he visited his parents in the outlying provinces.
He next became the head photographer at the Lourenço Marques daily newspaper A Tribuna, from 1960 until 1964. Rangel moved to the city of Beira
during the mid-1960s. He worked as a photographer for several Beira-based newspapers including Diário de Moçambique, Voz Africana and Notícias da Beira. He returned to the city of Lourenço Marques during the late 1960s and returned to Notícias.
Rangel joined with four other Mozambican journalists in 1970 to found a weekly magazine called Tempo
, which in effect acted as the only publication in opposition to Portuguese rule. Additionally, Tempo was also Mozambique's first full color magazine. Rangel worked as Tempos main photojournalist, often documenting poverty or Portuguese policies which were perceived as unfair by the publication.
Many of Rangel's colonial era photographs were banned or destroyed by Portuguese government censors, and could not be published or exhibited until Mozambique's independence in 1975. He became a frequent target of the Portuguese secret police
, the PIDE
.
Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Rangel took an active role in training new Mozambican photographers throughout the post-independence era and Mozambican Civil War
. He was appointed the chief photographer of Noticias in 1977, after most other photojournalists had left the country following Mozambique's independence.
Rangel became the first director of the weekly Mozambican publication Domingo in 1981. He went on to found the Photographic Training Centre, school for photography, in Maputo in 1983 and remained the centre's director until his death in 2009. Rangel began showing his work in European and African art galleries and museums beginning in 1983.
Rangel also founded the Mozambican Photography Association, serving as the organization's first chairman. He was later bestowed the title of Life President by members of the association and remained the aaosciation's
In 2008, Rangel was awarded an honorary doctorate in social science for his "contribution to Mozambican culture" from Eduardo Mondlane University, which is Mozambique's oldest and largest university.
Additionally, Rangel was elected to the Maputo Municipal Assembly from 1998 to 2003 as a member of the Juntos Pela Cidade (Together for the City).
countries of the World according to several peer-reviewed publications, on June 11, 2009, at the age of 85. He was survived by his Swiss
wife, Beatrice. Rangel's funeral, which was held at Maputo City Hall on June 15, 2009, was attended by several dignitaries, including Prime Minister Luisa Diogo
. Jazz
music was played at the funeral according to his wishes, as Rangel was a fan of jazz. He was buried in the Lhanguene cemetery in Maputo.
Prime Minister Luisa Diogo
praised Rangel's life and career at his funeral, noting that Rangel left "an indelible mark on the history of Mozambique." She also praised Rangel's colony era work which was used "to denounce colonial dictatorship", and pointed out that many of Rangel's photographs had been banned until Mozambique's independence.
Joao Costa, the head of the Mozambican Photographic Association (AMF), spoke of Rangel saying, "the man has died, but his work remains".
in Luanda
as part of the cycle CPLP Film Festival which takes place in the Angolan capital of the 10th day September 16, 2009.
Organized by the embassies of the CPLP countries accredited in Angola, the cycle includes the display of five films of Portugal, Brazil
, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Angola
second source of Embassy of Mozambique in Luanda, contacted by AIM
in Lisbon
.
The film, lasting 52 minutes, is a documentary 80 years of Ricardo Rangel, 60 of which were dedicated to photography, directed by Licinio de Azevedo and co-produced by Camilo de Sousa and Ebano Multimédia. It was filmed and completed a few months before the death of Rangel, on June 11, 2009
and jazz
have a special place
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
photojournalist and photographer.
Early life
Rangel was born in the city of Lourenço Marques, now known as MaputoMaputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, Portuguese East Africa
Portuguese East Africa
Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa was the common name by which the Portuguese Empire's territorial expansion in East Africa was known across different periods of time...
in February 1924. His father was a Greek businessman and Rangel was of African, European and Chinese descent. Rangel was raised by his African grandmother in the impoverished suburbs surrounding Lourenço Marques, while he visited his parents in the outlying provinces.
Career
Rangel's photography career began during the early 1940s by developing pictures in a private studio. Interest in taking photographs soon followed. Rangel was hired as the first non-white employee to join the Mozambican newspaper Noticias de Tarde in 1952, where he worked as a photographer. Rangel moved to Noticias de Tardes sister publication, Notícias, in 1956.He next became the head photographer at the Lourenço Marques daily newspaper A Tribuna, from 1960 until 1964. Rangel moved to the city of Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. It lies in the central region of the country in Sofala Province, where the Pungue River meets the Indian Ocean. Beira had a population of 412,588 in 1997, which grew to an estimated 546,000 in 2006...
during the mid-1960s. He worked as a photographer for several Beira-based newspapers including Diário de Moçambique, Voz Africana and Notícias da Beira. He returned to the city of Lourenço Marques during the late 1960s and returned to Notícias.
Rangel joined with four other Mozambican journalists in 1970 to found a weekly magazine called Tempo
Tempo (Mozambique magazine)
Tempo was a weekly illustrated magazine founded in 1970 in Maputo, Portuguese East Africa, which is now present-day Mozambique. The magazine acted as a voice of opposition to Portuguese colonial practices and rule in the colony. It was Mozambique's first full color magazine. Tempo was co-founded...
, which in effect acted as the only publication in opposition to Portuguese rule. Additionally, Tempo was also Mozambique's first full color magazine. Rangel worked as Tempos main photojournalist, often documenting poverty or Portuguese policies which were perceived as unfair by the publication.
Many of Rangel's colonial era photographs were banned or destroyed by Portuguese government censors, and could not be published or exhibited until Mozambique's independence in 1975. He became a frequent target of the Portuguese secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
, the PIDE
PIDE
In 1969, Marcello Caetano changed the name PIDE to DGS . The death of Salazar and the subsequent ascension of Caetano brought some attempts at democratization, in order to avoid popular insurgency against censorship, the ongoing colonial war and the general restriction of civil rights...
.
Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. Rangel took an active role in training new Mozambican photographers throughout the post-independence era and Mozambican Civil War
Mozambican Civil War
The Mozambican Civil War began in 1977, two years after the end of the war of independence. The ruling party, Front for Liberation of Mozambique , was violently opposed from 1977 by the Rhodesian- and South African-funded Mozambique Resistance Movement...
. He was appointed the chief photographer of Noticias in 1977, after most other photojournalists had left the country following Mozambique's independence.
Rangel became the first director of the weekly Mozambican publication Domingo in 1981. He went on to found the Photographic Training Centre, school for photography, in Maputo in 1983 and remained the centre's director until his death in 2009. Rangel began showing his work in European and African art galleries and museums beginning in 1983.
Rangel also founded the Mozambican Photography Association, serving as the organization's first chairman. He was later bestowed the title of Life President by members of the association and remained the aaosciation's
In 2008, Rangel was awarded an honorary doctorate in social science for his "contribution to Mozambican culture" from Eduardo Mondlane University, which is Mozambique's oldest and largest university.
Additionally, Rangel was elected to the Maputo Municipal Assembly from 1998 to 2003 as a member of the Juntos Pela Cidade (Together for the City).
Death
Rangel died in his sleep at his home in Maputo, Mozambique, one of the most poverty stricken and underdevelopedHuman Development Index
The Human Development Index is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries...
countries of the World according to several peer-reviewed publications, on June 11, 2009, at the age of 85. He was survived by his Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
wife, Beatrice. Rangel's funeral, which was held at Maputo City Hall on June 15, 2009, was attended by several dignitaries, including Prime Minister Luisa Diogo
Luisa Diogo
Luísa Dias Diogo was Prime Minister of Mozambique from February 2004 to January 2010. She replaced Pascoal Mocumbi, who had been Prime Minister for the previous nine years. Before becoming Prime Minister, she was Minister of Planning and Finance, and she continued to hold that post until February...
. Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music was played at the funeral according to his wishes, as Rangel was a fan of jazz. He was buried in the Lhanguene cemetery in Maputo.
Prime Minister Luisa Diogo
Luisa Diogo
Luísa Dias Diogo was Prime Minister of Mozambique from February 2004 to January 2010. She replaced Pascoal Mocumbi, who had been Prime Minister for the previous nine years. Before becoming Prime Minister, she was Minister of Planning and Finance, and she continued to hold that post until February...
praised Rangel's life and career at his funeral, noting that Rangel left "an indelible mark on the history of Mozambique." She also praised Rangel's colony era work which was used "to denounce colonial dictatorship", and pointed out that many of Rangel's photographs had been banned until Mozambique's independence.
Joao Costa, the head of the Mozambican Photographic Association (AMF), spoke of Rangel saying, "the man has died, but his work remains".
Movie
The movie Ricardo Rangel – Hot Iron, the director Licinio de Azevedo is a film designed the Instituto CamõesInstituto Camões
The Instituto Camões is an institution created in 1992 for the world-wide promotion of the Portuguese language and culture...
in Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
as part of the cycle CPLP Film Festival which takes place in the Angolan capital of the 10th day September 16, 2009.
Organized by the embassies of the CPLP countries accredited in Angola, the cycle includes the display of five films of Portugal, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
second source of Embassy of Mozambique in Luanda, contacted by AIM
AIM
- Aeronautics :* Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere, NASA satellite* Aeronautical Information Manual- Business :* Alternative Investment Market, operated by the London Stock Exchange* AIM Investment Management, Australian financial planning company...
in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
.
The film, lasting 52 minutes, is a documentary 80 years of Ricardo Rangel, 60 of which were dedicated to photography, directed by Licinio de Azevedo and co-produced by Camilo de Sousa and Ebano Multimédia. It was filmed and completed a few months before the death of Rangel, on June 11, 2009
Synopsis
Ricardo Rangel, photographer, 80 years, is the living symbol of the generation that in the late 40 started the first complaints against the colonial situation. While photographing the city of the settlers, Ricardo showed the inhumanity and cruelty of colonialism. From then until the end of civil war after independence, Ricardo photographed 60 years of history of Mozambique. In this movie, Richard takes us on his life and work, where the city of Maputo, the bohemianBohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
have a special place