Deconstructing Sistema Nervioso

Sistema Nervioso is the most ambitious body of work by Swiss-born Venezuelan photographer Barbara Brändli, who is otherwise known for her documentation of the indigenous Yanomami people. The book is a kind of manifesto, a portrait of the city of Caracas, filled with ads, graffiti and other urban signs. It was published in 1975, a collaboration with screenwriter Román Chalboud and artistic director John Lange, both Venezuelan. The book contains more than 100 images of the city and, due to its innovative complexity, has been recognised as one of the most important works in the photographic genre. Alejandro León Cannock offers an in-depth analysis.