Brand New!! César Dezfuli Wins £15,000 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017

Winner of the £15,000 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017
César Dezfuli beingness interviewed almost his portrait of xvi yr onetime Amadou Sumaila

It's extremely gratifying that the 2 photographs of refugees won the get-go in addition to minute prize inwards the Taylor Wessing Photographic Competition 2017 over the photograph of the android which to my heed was technically inwards breach of the rules of the contest in addition to should receive got been eliminated.

I'm real much NOT a fan of competitions which alter the rules after they receive got taken the coin from those people who submit entries. It's simply non fair or decent - in addition to some mightiness scrap it's non legal either.

I'm genuinely going to dissever this post inwards 2 in addition to bargain with:

the get-go 2 prizes in addition to the exhibition inwards this post
the entry which won 3rd prize in addition to the argue why, inwards my opinion, this was a clear breach of the rules - in addition to what needs to come about to forestall this happening in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than inwards a post tomorrow.

This aside.....

The contest had 5,717 submissions from 2,423 photographers living inwards 66 countries. Those on the walls of the exhibition are every bit international every bit those submitting their photos for consideration past times the jury.

The jury considering the entries has zero other than the championship to become on. All entries are anonymous every bit both the refer of the lensman in addition to the mortal who is portrayed.

This yr for the get-go fourth dimension those entering move were allowed to submit digital entries for the get-go sift which volition receive got much reduced expenses inwards relation to postage stamp in addition to packing for those living overseas. It also way that the jury tin pass longer on those that brand it through to the minute sift.

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2017 - First Prize

Amadou Sumalia past times César Dezfuli
From the serial Passengers
Inkjet print, August 2016

The £15,000 prize went to César Dezfuli for his photograph of xvi yr onetime Amadou Sumalia from Mali. He was later transferred to a reception centre inwards Italy.

It comes from his serial of photos called "Passengers". This documented inwards 118 photographs (click the link to encounter other photographs inwards the series) about the migrants on a boat who came from Mali, Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal in addition to Sierra Leone. Most volition receive got been economical migrants fleeing poverty.

It was taken real before long after Amadou had been rescued from the Mediterranean, twenty miles off the Libyan coast along amongst 100+ other men. When compared amongst the repose of the photographs taken it's clear why this 1 was selected for this competition.

César Dezfuli

Age: born inwards Madrid on 10 Jan 1991
Nationality: Spanish-Persian origins
Occupation: freelance journalist in addition to documentary lensman - focuses on issues of migration, identity in addition to human rights
Current home: Madrid
Education: graduated inwards journalism in addition to audio-visual communication from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Espana followed past times a postgraduate qualification inwards photojournalism.
Previous appearances inwards this award: None
Website: http://www.cesardezfuli.com

His move documenting human rights issues has been published inwards numerous magazines in addition to has been seen inwards grouping exhibitions inwards 2017 including First Prize inwards the Head On Photo Festival 2017 Portrait Category, in addition to awards at the International Photographer of the Year Awards in addition to the Moscow Foto Awards.

César told me that he'd been working on a freelance basis, next a projection to rescue people who were at risk inwards the Mediterranean every bit they endeavor to achieve Europe.

‘I think Amadou’s portrait stands out because of the emotions it transmits. He had simply been rescued past times a European vessel, apparently fulfilling his dream. However, his hold off in addition to his mental attitude exhibit fear, mistrust in addition to uncertainty, every bit good every bit conclusion in addition to strength.’

Judges Comments:

Against the residue in addition to precision of Dezfuli’s composition, the directness of Sumaila’s gaze is striking in addition to unsettling. The portrait powerfully conveys his loss, solitude in addition to determination.

My comments: It's much smaller than I imagined but amazingly arresting.

Second Prize

Winner of the £3,000 Second Prize
Abbie Traylor amongst her accolade in addition to her photograph Fleeing Mosul
From the serial Women inwards war: Life after ISIS
Colour coupler print, Nov 2016

Abbie Trayler-Smith won the £3,000 Second Prize. Abbie is a Documentary in addition to Portrait Photographer who was working on an assignment for Oxfam when she took the photograph. She was at the Hasan Sham campsite for internally displaced people inwards northern Republic of Iraq when a convoy of buses had simply arrived, bringing people to security from the intense fighting inwards Mosul.

‘I recollect seeing the daze in addition to bewilderment inwards the woman’s human face upward every bit she looked out at the campsite from the window. It made me shudder to imagine what living nether ISIS must receive got been like.’

Abbie told me that the adult woman is forthwith inwards Baghdad amongst her husband. Her menage unit of measurement receive got returned to Mosul but her sis had both her legs blown off when their dwelling was bombed inwards Mosul.

Age: born twenty May 1977
Nationality: born in addition to raised inwards South Wales
Education: -
Occupation: documentary in addition to portrait photographer. Her move covers women’s rights, social evolution in addition to the aftermath of conflict for national newspapers, charities in addition to NGOs. She spent viii years every bit a lensman amongst The Daily Telegraph, roofing the world events such every bit the Darfur conflict, the Republic of Iraq state of war in addition to the Asian tsunami, earlier deciding to become freelance inwards 2007. Her move has been seen inwards numerous publications in addition to inwards grouping exhibitions in addition to has also won awards
Current home: based inwards London
Clients: broad multifariousness of clients including Time, The Lord's Day Times, The Independent Review, Marie-Claire, Tatler, Monocle, Vice, Oxfam, Save The Children, IRC, UNICEF, Sony in addition to BBC worldwide.
Previous appearances inwards this award: The Big O, won fourth prize inwards The National Portrait Gallery’s 2010 Taylor Wessing Prize.
Website: http://www.abbietraylersmith.com

Abbie Trayler-Smith (b.1977) studied police at King’s College London. In her photographic career

Judges’ comments:

The color in addition to texture of the portrait has a painterly quality, created past times the mud-streaked drinking glass through which the immature adult woman is framed. Her haunting facial expression quietly suggests the unimaginable horrors of life nether occupation.

My comments: I genuinely liked this photograph in addition to hoped it would practice well. The drips on the window of the rider vehicle seem to human action every bit a metaphor for the province of affairs at some many dissimilar levels. Also piece she is undoubtedly traumatised past times her situation, at that spot seemed to me to move a certainly chemical constituent of curiosity almost what lay out the window which comes from beingness moved from where you lot receive got lived all your life. Is it going to move whatever better?

Exhibition

One of the interesting things almost the exhibition is how it has changed since both the Director of the NPG in addition to the Curator of Photography receive got changed (following their respective retirements).

One of the get-go notes I made was "no twins in addition to no gingers". I think I'd begun to assume these were perennial features of photographic competitions - but champaign not.

There's a real powerful wall almost the America of 2016/17 which was first-class which I am forthwith euphemistically referring to every bit the "portrait of America". The 2 photos either cease of the left mitt wall are of the "wall" betwixt United Mexican States in addition to the USA. Inbetween are photographs of the American election. On the correct are 2 photographs of individuals amongst iconic emblems of the 'real American'.

Portrait of America

Alan Mozes followed the crusade trail for 2 months at the cease for Vanity Fair in addition to his portraits of both Clinton in addition to Obama made the cut.

Alan Mozes amongst his portraits of Clinton in addition to Obama

Alice Schoolcraft graduated inwards 2016 amongst a Bachelor of Arts inwards Photographic Arts amongst First Class Honours at the University of Westminster inwards London. She is one-half Swedish in addition to one-half American in addition to went to rest amongst her (never met before) American menage unit of measurement in addition to flora that their values in addition to activities were real dissimilar from those she has been brought upward with. She photographed some of the curious things they got upward to in addition to called the serial The Other Side.

Curiosity almost people’s personal lives is a driving forcefulness inwards my move in addition to past times employing detailed report I desire to render the viewer amongst the feeling that they know the people inwards my photographs personally without always having met them.

Halo past times Alice Schoolcraftinkjet print
The Canis familiaris is wearing a necklace in addition to is standing behind a chair which has a wearing clothing on it
Somebody is behind the Canis familiaris in addition to has set their hands through the arms of the dress

There are also real few celebrities this yr - of the bling variety. Instead nosotros receive got artists every bit subjects - Jack Vettriano (who was at the preview this morning), Maggi Hambling in addition to AA Gill who has after died. Plus 1 of David Cameron looking fairly harassed a few days earlier the Referendum termination - in addition to his resignation.

Jack Vettriano (on the right) inwards front end of the photograph portrait of him
by Ian Mcilgorm (on the left)

David Cameron adjusting his necktie prior to his formal portrait photograph past times Charles Bibby

Young people in addition to what they larn upward seemed to move a recurrent theme of this year's exhibition. The exhibition also felt rather to a greater extent than international than it has hitherto.

Young people around the world

More immature people from around the world

Four boys who characteristic inwards 1 of the portrait photos (top left)
Minecrafting by Hania Farrell - which is genuinely 2 portraits inwards one

Judging Panel

This year’s judging panel was

Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Chair (Director, National Portrait Gallery, London);
David Campany (Writer, Curator in addition to Artist);
Tim Eyles, Managing Partner, Taylor Wessing LLP;
Sabina Jaskot-Gill (Associate Curator, Photographs, National Portrait Gallery, London);
Fiona Shields (Head of Photography, The Guardian) and
Gillian Wearing (Artist.)

More almost the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize

The posts below incorporate images of past times prizewinning portraits.