Five photojournalists have been awarded grants of $10,000 (£7,637) to help them to pursue projects of individual and universal importance. The recipients of the 2017 Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography are Alejandro Cegarra, Alessandro Penso, Paula Bronstein, Barbara Peacock and Antonio Faccilongo.
They were chosen from more than 480 applications from photographers in 75 countries. IBTimesUK takes a look at the five winning photojournalists and their corresponding projects, covering a wide range of emotive and inspiring subject matter, from the deepening crisis in Venezuela to sperm smuggling in Gaza.
Alejandro Cegarra:Living with Hugo Chavez's Legacy
In the latter years of Hugo Chavez's presidency, Venezuela enjoyed an oil-fuelled economic boom that made his vision of a more equitable, wealthier and safer society seem almost attainable. But by the time of his death, in 2013, he left his successor an economy in shambles, tenuous political support, and rising violence. Four years on, the country the country has been plunged back into a state of poverty and conflict, with citizens struggling to afford food and the youth clashing with the security forces on a regular basis. This project seeks to give a voice to the frustrated and disappointed people of Venezuela who feel consistently ignored by those above them.
Women shout slogans against Venezuela’s opposition during a political rally in front of the national Parliament on 19 November 2013Alejandro CegarraDemonstrators walk through a cloud of tear gas fired by the Bolivarian National Police during clashes on 12 March 2014Alejandro CegarraA demonstrator puts a rosary over his head before clashing with the Bolivarian National Guard, during anti-government protests in Caracas on 14 March 2014Alejandro CegarraA man rests on an empty freezer in a government-run store which should be stocked with meat, chicken and frozen food, on 2 January 2015. The fall in oil prices has started a economic crisis in VenezuelaAlejandro CegarraA group of people wait in the parking lot of a grocery store to buy food early in the morning on 26 August 2016Alejandro Cegarra
Alessandro Penso:The Deal
The refugee crisis in Europe has dominated the media over the last few years, with xenophobia and closed mindedness often leading the debate. It is therefore vital that we ask, what are the consequences of such attitudes? This project explores the way in which EU regulation have failed to adequately welcome refugees by depicting the exploitation and long-term displacement faced by many of these already extremely vulnerable people.
2 February 2012: 17-year old Mohamed from Morocco and his friends hide behind the rocks at the Greek port of Corinth during the night, waiting for the right moment to illegally board a ship to Italy. Many young migrants see other European countries as their only hope of a future, and attempt to leave Greece at the first possible moment, often in desperate ways, tolerating desperate conditionsAlessandro Penso7 March 2012: A group of Afghan boys in Patras, aged 14 to 18, try to illegally board goods trucks which will be loaded onto cargo ships going to Italy. Trying to board trucks bound for Italy is one of the most common ways migrants try to illegally leave Greece. Over the years, many have lost their lives, or have been stopped by the police, trying to make this journey.Alessandro PensoA young girl from Syria cooks inside the Harmanli camp, the biggest of Bulgaria’s “emergency centres” for refugees, about 30 kilometres from the Turkish border, where around 1,000 asylum-seekers were being detained on a former military base, housed in tents, containers and a dilapidated building. People living in tents have no access to sanitation facilitiesAlessandro PensoA woman tries to help a Syrian who swam to shore on Lesbos after the boat he was on began to leak on 5 August 2015. His condition was critical, but fortunately, around an hour later, a local doctor came and managed to assist in saving his lifeAlessandro Penso20 September 2015: Desperate refugees, asylum seekers and migrants attempt to board a train at the Croatian town of Tovarnik, near the border with Serbia. Some waited for days to catch a train away from the town, with little in the way of food or shelter. Families often became separated in the chaosAlessandro PensoA mother and child sit wrapped in an emergency blanket after disembarking on the beach of Kayia, on the north of the Greek island of Lesbos on 18 October 2015Alessandro Penso
Following the US-backed military operation against ISIS in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the threat to civilians in the region remains high. The use of mines in the city poses a serious problem for civilians, who are the most common victims of such devices. More worrying still is the revelation that, according to the Mines Advisory group, these mines contain 60 times more explosives than a standard anti-personnel mine, drastically increasing the likelihood of death or severe and permanent injury. This project aims to document the silent victims of a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and left many more maimed.
21 November 2009: Jamalo, age 14, from Ghazni, sits in her wheelchair outside the International Red Cross Orthopaedic (ICRC) rehabilitation centre in Kabul, Afghanistan. Jamalo is now a paraplegic, crippled after her home became a battlefield during a violent attack between the Taliban and US forces. She was inside her home during the attack when a rocket hit, killing four family members including her sister. She broke her arm and was hit by shrapnel. Ghazni is a Taliban infested area so as a young handicapped female she has little hope of education or even marriagePaula BronsteinKharim Ahmad, 22, suffered shrapnel wounds on his face and the loss of a leg from fighting in Sangin. He was being treated at the emergency hospital in Lashkar Gah on 25 March 2015Paula Bronstein26 March 2015: Sayed Malik, 25, a double amputee gets surgery at the emergency hospital in Lashkar Gar. He lost his legs while demining, as a ANA soldier in SanginPaula Bronstein27 March 2015: Patients that have chest injuries strengthen their lung capacity with water bottles in the physical therapy room at the emergency hospitalPaula BronsteinAt the emergency hospital Najiba holds her nephew Shabir, age 2, who was injured from a bomb blast which killed his sister in Kabul on 29 March 2016. Najiba had to stay with the child as their mother buried her daughterPaula Bronstein
Barbara Peacock:American Bedroom
The transformation of the pedestrian into objects of artistic merit has long been one of the aims of photography and it is this tradition that the project seeks to continue. In focusing on the commonplace this project hopes to unveil the idiosyncrasies latent in everyday life. The expansive nature of the project invites us to introspect on the complexity of humankind in the west, particularly in America.
'My Mom says I should give some of my dolls away'Barbara Peacock'We have been off the grid for 20 years'Barbara Peacock'There are days I don't leave my room'Barbara Peacock'I live in New Hampshire where the motto is "Live free or Die", that's pretty much it.'Barbara Peacock'I am so quiet in the morning when I wake up so I don't disturb her, then I remember, she is gone"Barbara Peacock
Antonio Faccilongo: Habibi
The Gaza strip and the West Bank are typically portrayed as places ravaged by conflict, however for the citizens of these regions they are also home, a place where they must build a live amidst the turmoil. This project focuses on the phenomena of 'sperm smuggling' by Palestinian women, a practice which allows them to conceive children with their husbands who are serving long term sentences in Israeli prisons. Family remains the most important social structure for many Palestinians and for many of these women this is their only hope for a family.
Signs of a life suspended at Iman Al Barghouti's home. Her husband, Nael Al Barghouti, has spent 38 years in prison. He was arrested on 4 April 1978 after carrying out a commando operation in which one Israeli was killed. He was released in Shalit agreement between Hamas and Israel in 2011 but he has been arrested again and sentenced to a life imprisonment. This picture tells the story of the mothers, wives and daughters of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons. Waiting for the return of their men, these women struggle to support their families, both economically and emotionally, often finding themselves with many children to raise, and this picture shows how the lives of these women are suspended as they wait for the return of their men.Antonio FaccilongoBasimah Nawaja (37) in her living room shows a photo of her husband Issa (41) sentenced to 22 years in prison for military operations. They have a new child Sadeel (2) born through Ivf. In front of her are sitting all the family members. This picture shows how the relationship between families and detainees is still strong despite the difficulties. Many detainees send to families their portraits made in prison so that their families, particularly their children, can maintain a strong relationship with them. During our meeting Basimah showed me photos of her husband that she has on her mobile while we were sitting in front of her family.Antonio FaccilongoPrisoners store seminal fluid inside tubes or old pens, which they hide inside snacks. During the ten minutes of permitted playtime, they pass the snacks to their children, practicing one of the methods used to smuggle their sperm out of prison.Antonio FaccilongoA hospital incubator in Gaza. Chances of successful treatment are very high, being, for the majority, young people and fertile. This is the story of Palestinian prisoners’ wives who have turned to sperm smuggling in order to conceive children from their husbands who are serving long-term sentences. Around 7,000 Palestinians are serving time in Israeli prisons, with nearly 1,000 facing sentences of 20 years or more. Conjugal visits are denied and prisoners are separated from visitors by glass panels.Antonio FaccilongoAmma Elian (39) is the wife of Anwar Elian (39). He was arrested in 2003 and sentenced for life imprisonment. This is the story of Palestinian prisoners’ wives who have turned to sperm smuggling in order to conceive children from their husbands who are serving long-term sentences. Around 7,000 Palestinians are serving time in Israeli prisons, with nearly 1,000 facing sentences of 20 years or more. Conjugal visits are denied and prisoners are separated from visitors by glass panels.Antonio Faccilongo
"The recipients of the 2017 Getty Images Editorial Photography Grants are working at the cutting edge of photojournalism, ensuring that often ignored global issues are brought to the forefront of public consciousness," said Hugh Pinney, Vice President of News, Getty Images. "The projects selected explore a range of complex and thought-provoking subjects and we are thrilled that, through the Getty Images Editorial Photography Grant, we are able to support such talent as they continue to shed light on some of the most moving and significant moments of our time."
Since it was started in 2005, the Getty Images Grants programme has provided grants in excess of a million pounds to some of the world's most innovative photographers. The programme provides both emerging and established photographers with the support needed for them to continue their work in pursing projects at the very heart of modern journalism. For further information, visit: http://imagery.gettyimages.com/getty_images_grants/Editorial.html
