The Alexia Foundation has announced the winners of its 2013 grants. A sharp and diverse selection.
The professional grant of $15,000 was awarded to Bangladeshi photographer Abir Abdullah for his work on the deadly fires devastating Dhaka’s working class. Engaged in local matters, Abdullah has already received recognition for his previous reports on refugees from floods in the Ganges Delta, and on the veterans of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. See Abir Abdullah’s series here
The student prize, which consists of a study grant at Syracuse University in London and a $1000 stipend, was awarded to Sara Naomi Lewkowicz for her report on domestic violence as a consequence of individual and social issues. See Sara Naomi’s series here
Founded in memory of Alexia Tsairis, a photojournalism student killed in a terrorist attack, the Alexia Foundation offers support for young photographers and the two main awards are supplemented by a second student prize, awarded to Dijana Muminovic for her report on the aftermath of genocide, taken on the border between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Three other awards with a $1500 study grant were given out to: Souvid Datta, for an investigation of slum life in Sonagachi, India; Annie Flanagan, for her study of sexual violence; and Andrew Renneisen, who documented violent crime in Camden, New Jersey.
These results reflect the international outlook of the Alexia Foundation, along with its broad view of photojournalism today. Black-and-white photographs appear besides raw color compositions, and long-term investigations alternate with more urgent reports on social issues with political stakes, where the local situation takes on a universal dimension.
Laurence Cornet
