The photograph presents a deep close-up of the face of a stray dog lying on the ground in an alleyway on Rua 4, in the Favela da Rocinha. His head is painted in the “Reflexo” style — a bleaching technique that, in Brazilian favelas, has become a symbol of style, youth, and identity. The painted pattern contrasts with his dark fur — the “capa preta” — and brings the viewer closer to an expression that blends sweetness, exhaustion, and an uncanny familiarity.
In Brazil, “caramelo” has become a popular and affectionate way to refer to mixed-breed dogs, regardless of their color.
The work sparks debate: while the painted highlights on the dog draw criticism from those who view the gesture as a form of mistreatment, almost no one questions the more serious issue — he lives abandoned, without shelter, food, or basic care. The photograph exposes this contradiction and shifts the gaze toward the structural problems shaping life in the favelas: abandonment, inequality, and a coexistence where improvised care and scarcity walk side by side.
The image does not seek to justify or condemn the act — it uses it as a starting point to reveal other layers of the territory.
