Seventeen countries from around the globe. Five timely themes: Undocumented immigrants, rising rage in Europe, discrimination against Roma people, abducted Nigerian schoolgirls, the power of religion and faith. The Bronx Documentary Center hosts an exhibition of the winners of Social Documentary Network’s Call for Entries on Visual Stories Exploring Global Themes until June 7, 2015. The winning photographers include: Paolo Marchetti (Fever: The Awakening of European Fascism), Aake Ericson (Racism Against Roma People), Michelle Frankfurter (Destino), Glenna Gordon (Abducted Nigerian Schoolgirls) and Jordi Pizarro Torrell (The Believers Project).
A panel of judges selected the five winners out of 100 entries. Judges included: Felicia Anastasia, Founder and Director of Anastasia Photo Gallery, New York; Barbara Ayotte, Director of Strategic Communications, Management Sciences for Health; Sam Barzilay, Creative Director, United Photo Industries and Co – Founder, Photoville; Alice Gabriner, International Photo Editor, Time Magazine; Molly Roberts, Chief Photography Editor, Smithsonian Magazine; Glenn Ruga, Founder and Director, Social Documentary Network; Jeffrey D. Smith, Executive Director, Contact Press Images; and Jamie Wellford, Former International Photo Editor, Newsweek.
“We wanted the real stuff — messy, awkward, jubilant, filled with contradictions, want of answers, but the stuff that the world is made up of everywhere, every day. These five exhibits courageously portray some of the most difficult aspects of the human condition: fascism, racism, undocumented immigration, and abduction of innocent schoolgirls. One of the projects documents how religion and faith has connected communities for decades. This work gives us greater insight and compassion into our world to protect human dignity. All of the selected photographers’ work possesses strong imagery and quality writing — both critical components of storytelling “, said Glenn Ruga, SDN Founder and Director.
First Place
• Paolo Marchetti
FEVER: The Awakening of European Fascism
This exhibit is the first chapter of a five years long photographic and sociological quest which turned into a first hand experiment – to better understand a feeling that has grown to dominate the public arena in the age in which we live: rage. I decided to focus on its role as fuel in the political life of four European countries: Italy, Hungary, Finland and Germany.
Paolo Marchetti
• Honorable Mentions
Aake Ericson
Racism Against Roma People
In this exhibit, Ericson covers the poor living conditions of the Roma in Europe. This is a long-term project by Ericson involving eight countries. Ericson is a professional photojournalist based in Sweden with over 30 years of experience.
• Michelle Frankfurter
Destino
Meaning both “destination” and “destiny” in Spanish, Destino portrays the perilous journey of undocumented Central American migrants along the network of freight trains across Mexico with the hope of finding a better life in the United States. Born in Jerusalem, Michelle Frankfurter is a documentary photographer, currently living in Takoma Park, Maryland.
• Glenn Gordon
Abducted Nigeria Schoolgirls
In April 2014, nearly 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a remote village in Northern Nigeria by the Islamic group Boko Haram. Despite global outrage, little has been done by the Nigerian government to bring them back. These images are of their school uniforms, books, and other objects — the things they left behind, the last traces, and the only way we can see the missing girls.
• Jordi Pizarro Torrell
The Believers Project
The Believers is a body of documentary work that explores the question of why people believe, and how religion has , through the ages , been used to narrate the purpose of our existence. It explores religious communities in 10 countries across four continents. Pizarro seeks to document and understand how communities are formed through religion , how beliefs are reinforced through preserving traditions and faith is strengthened through rituals and the sharing of a common interpretation of truth. Torrell is originally from Spain and now lives in India.
EXHIBITION
Visual Stories Exploring Global Themes
With Paolo Marchetti, Aake Ericson, Michelle Frankfurter, Glenna Gordon and Jordi Pizarro Torrell
From May 22 to June 7th, 2015
Opening View on May 30 6-9pm
Bronx Documentary Center
614 Courtlandt Avenue
NY 10451 New York
United States
http://www.bronxdoc.org/
