Photographers
Polish Photographer announced as winner of New East Photo Prize
PhotocriticEtcThe winner of Calvert 22 Foundation’s inaugural New East Photo Prize is Michał Siarek. Chosen from over 1000 entries and out of 11 shortlisted finalists, Michał’s series Alexander was crowned as the winner at a ceremony on Thursday 1 December 2016.
Entries for the prize were only open to residents or citizens of the New East–that is the countries which make up Russia, Eastern Europe, The Balkans, and Central Asia. There were no further stipulations to the brief and as such what the entries did share was a common history and relationship with their environments. Some looked at historical condition, some more personal, and all deeply poetic.
The struggle he portrays represents the absurdity of a debate over ancient identity which directly clashes with the very modern and very real struggles with national identity, and the void created by the collapse of Yugoslavia.
The exhibition of the finalist’s works remains in situ at Calvert 22 Foundation’s Shoreditch space until 18 December.
