Jonathan Saruk December 15, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Yemen.Tags: Yemen
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Demonstration at the University of Sana, Yemen 2011
Jonathan Saruk (b. 1979, USA) graduated from the International Center of Photography where he was awarded a scholarship from The New York Times. In September 2011, Jonathan joined Reportage by Getty Images as a Featured Photographer. Jonathan’s still images have been published in The New Yorker, Newsweek, The Times of London, Le Journal Du Dimanche, among others. His video work has been broadcast on HDnet’s World Report. Jonathan was named a selected winner for the Magenta Foundation’s Flash Forward 2009. He attended the Eddie Adams Workshop in 2008 where he won an award from the Associated Press and was honored by International Photography Awards in 2009 for his work in Afghanistan. He also holds an M.A. in print journalism from New York University. When not on the road, he lives in Malmö, Sweden.
About the Photograph:
“The photo was taken in March 2011 during a protest in Sana, Yemen. The demonstration outside the University of Sana was in high gear when I arrived. Crowds were cheering, vendors were hawking a variety of local cuisine many of the males already had a cheek full of Khat (an amphetamine-like stimulant). Just off to the side of the main stage where various individuals were constantly rallying the crowd, an area was cordoned off for women. Luckily, male members of the press were allowed to mingle amongst the women. At one point, I stumbled across this group of young girls, who I believe later made an appearance on stage. Despite their age, they appeared very aware of the situation and the uncertainty of their country’s future.”
Editor’s Note: Since it’s inception almost four years ago, Verve Photo has showcased the work of close to six hundred photographers from around the world. Back in early 2008, I could hardly imagine how broad an audience it would reach. Verve Photo is tracked by editors from leading publications and curators world-wide in search of new talent. We will resume posting on January 2, 2012. Until then, a healthy an happy new year to all far and wide.
– Geoffrey Hiller, Phnom Penh
Jérémie Souteyrat December 12, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Japan.Tags: Japan
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Nuclear Refugees. Tokyo, Japan 2011
Jérémie Souteyrat (b. 1979, France) graduated as a mechanical engineer in 2001 and soon after began to work as a photographer. His development as a photographer coincided when he went to Japan in 2005, and fell in love with the country. Besides his work in Japan, Jérémiee has documented young Afghan migrants in Paris which was shortlisted for the Bourse du Talent Kodak. His work has been published in The Guardian, Le Monde, Elle, L’Express Libération, Le Monde, among others. In the summer of 2011 his photographs were exhibited at the Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland. Jérémie is currently based in Tokyo.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is from a story about Fukushima’s nuclear refugees. It was taken at a public housing unit in Tokyo on April 20, 2011, five weeks after the start of the nuclear crisis. The Suzuki family came here with the husband’s parents from Iwaki, a city located 40km south of the power plant. The parents’ house – where they all lived – was destroyed by the tsunami. They decided to flee the area, fearing the effects of radiation on the children. After a few weeks in a refugee shelter in Tokyo, they were able to move into public housing provided by the city of Tokyo. Ryota Suzuki, the husband, must go back to Iwaki to complete his studies, and for one year his wife Kaori will remain in Tokyo with the children. They will receive no financial compensation from TEPCO (the nuclear operator) because their house was outside the 30km evacuation zone.”
Gordon Welters December 8, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Germany.Tags: Germany
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From the Project “Go, My Beauty”, Germany 2009
Gordon Welters (b.1974, Germany) studied photo-journalism at the London College of Communication. He regularly works for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine, International Herald Tribune, National Geographic, Stern, The Fader Magazine, The Times among others. In 2010 Gordon received a scholarship from VG Bildkunst. His work have been awarded by PDN Photo Annual, International Photography Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, Hansel-Mieth Prize and UNICEF. He organizes and leads photography workshops and was a jury member of various photo awards in Germany and the USA. He lives in Berlin and is represented by the photo agency Laif.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is part of my story Go, my beauty. It is difficult for us to fully understand and witness death, especially with people very close to us. Although dying is an inseparable part of life, death does not really take place in our society. Dana is 25 years old and challenges life while feeling the knot under her skin. After breast amputation and undergoing chemotherapy she lies in the palliative care unit of a hospital. Dana says goodby to her friends, family and also to her small son. I met Dana 19 days before she died and visited her for 12 days. It was her wish, to transport the idea of the friendship-circle to the outside world, to stimulate and encourage patients as well as for their relatives, friends and other companions.”
Mimi Mollica December 5, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Senegal.Tags: Senegal
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From the Series “En Route to Dakar”. Senegal 2008
Mimi Mollica (b. 1975, Italy) has covered assignments in a number of different countries such as Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Sicily, Great Britain, Brazil, India, Romania and Senegal photographing current events and in-depth photo essays. His work has been published in various magazines and newspapers including: The Guardian Weekend Magazine, Financial Times, The New York Times, Granta, The Independent, Marie Claire and COLORS among others. Mimi has been recognized by the PDN Curator Awards in 2009 and received an honorable mention at Magenta Flash Forward in 2009. He is based in London.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph of Ablay was taken along the 34 km Dakar-Diamniadio road, the internationally funded motorway under construction that links Dakar to the rest of Senegal. For months I have been photographing this highway as it gradually changes its face, as well as the people that cross this surreal landscape everyday. A scenery where people struggle on a changing space, on the edge between an enduring past and a doubtful future. Ablay is unemployed and in search of work. Like many fellow migrants from neighboring Guinea, he dreams of reaching Europe in search of better opportunities and maybe one day, ‘if God permits’, to become a professional footballer.”
Olya Ivanova December 1, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Russia.Tags: Russia
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Vova and Nose. Siberia, Russia 2009
Olya Ivanova (b.1981, Russia) received a BA in literature and worked as a copywriter with global advertising agencies in Moscow until her boyfriend gave her an old film camera. She is a self taught photographer who has been heavily influenced by the work of Alec Soth and Guillaume Herbaut. Olya currently shoots for magazines including Monocle, Psychologies, Time Out, Russian Reporter and others. Her photographs has been exhibited in Moscow at the Solyanka Gallery, Fotoweek in Washington, DC and the Museum of the Fine Arts in Denys-Puech of Rodez France. Her work has been recognized by the Photo Circle Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania and the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Honorable mention in Portraiture, UK.
About the Photograph:
“This picture was shot in Gorelovka, a village in Siberia 800 km from Novosibirsk. It was for a story about hermits living in a village that historically was a place to escape and hide. Many years ago Christian old believers came here to avoid church reform. Then ‘kulaks’ (wealthy peasants) chose this place to escape from Stalin’s repressions. Now many ‘new world antagonists’ settle here to live without passports, personal tax numbers, church and government. Vova is not a hermit, he is just a local, who works as a stove-man in winter and as a saw mill worker in summertime. Each day we visited and started with beer and finished with vodka, the usual life here. We listened to his old gramophone or rode on his Soviet bike across the fields to drink from a natural source of water. It was pure happiness. Vova was sitting behind the stove, it was the end of September and quite cold. His cat Nose all of a sudden jumped on his shoulder and stared at me. “
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