A year since his death, Hugo Chavez maintains a powerful presence in Venezuela. Graffiti of his eyes has sprung up everywhere — a reminder that the former president remains part of Venezuelans’ daily lives, whether they like it or not. It doesn’t matter if you are pro- or anti-government, it can sometimes seem like Chavez is still in control.
“The eyes that see you” began after I saw a billboard bearing the stylised eyes of Chavez. I stopped my car to snap an image, and in the weeks that followed, I documented how ubiquitous the eyes had become, often using my mobile phone to take photos.
The stylised image was used in Chavez’s last presidential campaign, when thousands of people wore red shirts printed with the black eyes. It didn’t take long for the design to be adapted into countless variations.