The Youmanity Photography Award has announced that Carlos Saavedra has won the 2017 competition with his Madres Terra project, which reports on the mothers of disappeared youths killed by the Colombian army. The annual competition open to anyone with an interest in photography and participants are judged on a three-image essay which this year was themed 'the everyday heroine'.
The second and third places were taken by Julia Gunther, a Dutch photographer who portraits depict androgynous heroines who refuse to be seen as victims in male-dominated South-Africa; and Antonio Renuncio, who tackled gender discrimination through young female boxer, Ana. who trains in a male-dominated environment with the aim of securing a brighter future in Nicaragua.
The three judges in 2017 were Anne Williams, Creative Director, London College of Communication, Brandei Estes, Head of Photographs Department, Sotheby's, Carola Syz, Carola Syz Projects, Francesca Filippini Pinto, General Manager, Christie's South Kensington, Rosemary Wilman HonFRPS, Past President, The Royal Photographic Society, and Vilma Nikolaidou, Head of Development, Engagement, Culture, Tate Gallery. Speaking for the Jury, Rosemary Wilman commented "The Everyday heroine photography award saw a diverse range of entries which explored the concept of Gender Discrimination. Carlos Saavedra’s work was unanimously selected by the judges."
The finalists’ photographic works will be showcased in a group exhibition to be held in London during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2017.
YOUMANITY is a non-profit organisation based in London promoting the importance of cultural diversity and social inclusion. The Everyday Heroine, supported by Scotland Yard’s Directorate for Inclusion and Diversity, is sponsored by Gattarella Resort - Brainpull - EU Advisory Partners Ltd - Lysis Financial - Dukelectrical - Dr Mastropasqua - Denakeo.
© Image: main: Carlos Saavedra; top left: Julia Gunther; top right: Carlos Saavedra; lower left: Antonio Renuncio