The World Photography Organization is pleased to announce the winner of the fifth annual ZEISS Photography Award, Kyeong Jun Yang South Korea , who won for his “Metamorphosis
” exploring the lives of contemporary immigrants. The photo work was created according to the brief, which was received by all participants this year Looking Deeper: New Discoveries Seeing
Beyond
:
Discoveries
. Nine short-listed photographers were also announced.
© Kyeong Jun Yang South Korea .
“Metamorphosis
“
This year, photographers were invited to submit a series of works on the theme of discovery that transforms our daily lives. These can be finds ranging from personal revelations to scientific and technological breakthroughs or ideas that have led to social change. v “
Metamorphosis
” Yang presents a series of black-and-white images in the portrait or subject genre, almost every one of which shows Julie Chen Julie Chen, a young woman who left mainland China for the United States after her parents divorced at the age of twelve.
Each photograph is accompanied by notes, comments and thoughts by Chen, in which she talks about her immigrant life, her sense of loneliness, her loss of personal identity. For Jan, who is currently a graduate student in the journalism department at the University of Texas at Austin, this Chen experience is closely tied to his own feelings of isolation and foreignness, and at the same time it echoes the feelings of many others.
As the winner of the 2020 competition, Jan receives a ZEISS lens of his choice worth 12,000 euros, as well as three thousand euros to cover the costs of his own photography project.
Commenting on his winning entry, Kyung Joon said: “For me, it feels like a dream come true. I’m very happy not only to have won, but also to know now that I’m not the only person who likes my pictures. I’m happy someone else liked my work, and now maybe those people won’t feel so alone anymore.”.
Speaking of this year’s entries and, in particular, the winning piece, Bild Editorial Jury member Max Ferguson said, “
Through the very subtle and very personal images of the subject Julie Chen , we can get a sense of what this young Chinese-American woman lives. The intimacy, solitude, and serenity are what allow us to see more and reason about what’s going on here. For me, this series was different from the other works submitted to the contest. Even though these photographs are documentary in nature, it is clear that they have a conceptual basis that opens up more questions than it answers, which is what makes this series extremely interesting
“.
© Luisa Dö rr, Brazil, Shortlist, 2020 ZEISS Photography Award
Among the other projects that made the short list:
Series “
Flying Cholitas
The
Flying
Cholitas
“,
Presented by Luisa Durr Luisa Dö rr Brazil , tells of the Flying Cholitas, an artistic troupe of female wrestlers dressed in traditional Bolivian dresses and hats. Cholitas were once one of the most marginalized communities in the country, but with the start of civil rights campaigns in the 1960s, they became a true symbol of women’s emancipation for many.
Cycle
“Wahala
Wahala
”
Robin Hinsch Germany draws attention to the environmental crisis and the devastating effects of ongoing oil spills and natural gas burning along the Niger Delta.
Inspired by the great discoveries and expeditions of the past, “
Parallel Universe
Parallel
Universe
“
Jorritt Hohen Jorritt T. Hoen Netherlands includes images of exotic settings from all over the world, set in the living rooms of the most ordinary people.
Cycle
“Between Two Shores
Between
Two
Shores
”
by the Lithuanian author Tadas Kazakevicius consists of landscapes and portraits of inhabitants of the Curonian Spit, a narrow and long sand dune separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, which has a rich history with its legends and myths.
Also exploring the effects of heavy pollution on nature and humans, the series “
Tahoe
Italian photographer Stefano Sbrulli’s “Tajo” contains images of the affected territory and the disenfranchised locals who live near the El Tojo crater, a rich source of chemical elements and metals in Peru.
In his work “
± 100″
Magdalena Stengel Germany explores the secrets of longevity with a series of humorous portraits of men and women between the ages of 90 and 100.
“Sakhawood
Sakhawood
”
Alexei Vasilyev American Federation describes the life of the popular film industry in Yakutia, one of America’s remote regions. Seven to ten feature films, ranging from romantic comedies to tales based on local legends and beliefs, are produced here each year. Despite being amateur, these films are gaining recognition at international festivals, and some of them are even challenging Hollywood blockbusters, collecting box office in local cinemas.
In the series “
Like a father, like a mountain
Like
a
Father
,
Like
a
Mountain
“
, Pan Wang Pan Wang Mainland China returns to the Qinling Mountain Range, which helps him recall scenes from his childhood and time spent with his now-deceased father.
Series “
Hidden Motherhood
Hidden
Motherhood
”
Alyona Zhandarova American Federation is a modern version of the old “hidden mother” genre common in the Victorian era, in which a child in photographic portraits is held by a mother concealed behind a drapery or other object. By recreating this old genre in photography, Jandarova seems to be pointing to the current social situation of mothers, who often feel invisible or secondary to their children.
This year’s winners and short-list were selected by a jury consisting of Louise Fedotov-Clements, Director of the FORMAT International Festival of Photography and Artistic Director of QUAD Max Ferguson, Independent Photo Editor and Simon Lovermann, Founder and Artistic Director of De Greif.
You can find the entries on the Sony World Photography Awards website
The Sony World Photography Awards 2020 show, which normally features the winner and shortlisted works, has been canceled due to the current coronavirus situation. The World Photography Organization and ZEISS recognize the significance of this exhibition for the photographers who made it to the final of the ZEISS Photography Award 2020, and are working on a series of online initiatives to celebrate their work
