"A cultural legacy passed down from generation to generation. At the heart of the Lambe Sujo and Caboclinhos Festival in Sergipe, a boy looks out at the world through the lens of his heritage," says photographer about multi-award-winning street shot

Cesare Simioni's striking black-and-white photograph, Soul Beneath the Paint, has been awarded Grand Winner in the Black and White category at the 2026 Pure Street Photography Awards. The image, taken during the Lambe Sujo and Caboclinhos Festival in Sergipe, Brazil, depicts a young boy gazing directly at the camera. This traditional street theater celebrates Brazil's history, particularly the journey of enslaved individuals creating quilombos, or communities founded by escaped slaves and their descendants.

Simioni, a renowned international street photographer, captured the essence of the festival through this powerful image, highlighting the resilience, pain, and beauty of Brazilian cultural heritage.