#renaeffendi

Photo: Rena Effendi, Felicia Owlboy, age 19, at her aunt Jada's home in St. Michaels. The tattoo on her arm is dedicated to her father who hung himself. Spirit Lake Native American Reservation in North Dakota, 2013.

PRISMA Human Rights Photo Contest

PRISMA was officially launched during the Venice Art Biennale opening with Alfredo Jaar as special guest, at My Art Guides: Venice Meeting Point.
The photo contest is open from May 1 and will accept submissions through July 6 2015. Photographers, professional and amateur, from any part of the world are invited to submit their work. The theme of 2015 is “Freedom”.

The members of the jury are Rena Effendi, internationally renowned Azerbaijani photographer; Isabel Gattiker, General and Programme Director of the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva; Almir Koldzic, Co- Founder and Co-Director of Counterpoints Arts, organisation comprising creative arts and cultural projects exploring refugee and migrant experiences; Azu Nwagbogu, Director of the Lagos Photo Festival and of the African Artists Foundation; and Alberto Prina, photojournalist and Founder of the Gruppo Fotografico Progetto Immagine and of the Festival of Ethical Photography.

The selected images will be displayed, along with photographs by the special guest photographer Rena Effendi, in an exhibition in Venice, at the Monastery of San Nicolò, the premises of the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) from 11 September 2015, during the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, to the 11 October 2015. The day of the opening of the exhibition will be marked by a special event with talks on the theme “Freedom” and the connection between art, photography, cultural production, media and human rights.

The value of Freedom is at the very core of the concept of human rights: freedom from oppression, freedom of speech and belief, freedom of movement, freedom from fear, freedom of thought and freedom of opinion. The images submitted for the photo competition should illustrate the relevance of “Freedom” as a fundamental human right and the importance of defending it.

PRISMA aims at being not only a photographic contest but also to become an annual event for photography on human rights worldwide. PRISMA’s purpose is to create a network of artists, intellectuals and professionals interested in strengthening the protection of human rights and the promotion of democracy and peace. Furthermore, the goal of PRISMA is to complement academic research with other media of knowledge, such as photography, to reach a wider international public and foster a better understanding of human rights issues and their protection.

For more detailed information please visit www.prismaphotocontest.com