CULTURE World Press Photo Exhibition

culture

WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION IN HUNGARY

"SHARING THE WORK OF VISUAL JOURNALISTS TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER"

Selected by an independent jury from 74,470 photographs entered by 4,315 photographers from 130 countries, the World Press Photo Exhibition 2021 presents the winning images from the 64th annual Photo Contest. World Press Photo welcomes the public for the fourth time at the Hungarian National Museum where 151 press photos are on display.

THE OVERALL WINNER

Rosa Luzia Lunardi, 85, is embraced by the nurse Adriana Silva da Costa Souza at Viva Bem care home in São Paulo on August 5, 2020. PHOTOGRAPH Mads Nissen/ Politiken/Panos Pictures

ENVIRONMENT

FIRST PRIZE, SINGLES | CALIFORNIA SEA LION PLAYS WITH MASK A curious California sea lion swims towards a face mask at the Breakwater dive site in Monterey, California, on November 19, 2020. California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are playful animals, native to western North America. PHOTOGRAPH Ralph Pace

It is the world's most prestigious annual traveling photo exhibition, profiling the globe's top press photographers and showcasing the world's most provocative and poignant press photos, stories that make people stop, feel, think and act to a worldwide audience. Last year's theme was the coronavirus epidemic, which was prominent in all categories, the exhibition's organizer, Tamás Révész pointed out at the opening.

Dominated by pandemic themes

The organizer stressed that last year, as humanity worked together globally to combat the pandemic, photojournalists covered regional conflicts, social problems, natural beauty, environmental protection and sporting events, in addition to the pandemic. The selection also includes images of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the warehouse explosion in Beirut that devastated the city. Digital Storytelling, the exhibition's companion program, provides the audience with important insights through its documentary films," he added. Judit Horgas, the editor of Liget magazine, pointed out that Hungarian poets, writers and essayists have contributed 21 works to the current WPP competition.

Health first

The organizers say that “while we aimed to extend and diversify our exhibition locations in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has badly impacted us and our partners, and many of the 125 locations planned this year were canceled or postponed. Together with our partners, the World Press Photo Foundation is closely monitoring health recommendations to continue bringing you the stories that matter while ensuring our community’s safety. his is a challenging time for the global community. In these difficult times, supporting the conditions that make visual journalism possible and sharing the work of visual journalists to a global audience is more important than ever.”

SPOT NEWS

FIRST PRIZE, SINGLES | EMANCIPATION MEMORIAL DEBATE Anais, 26, who wants to remove the Emancipation statue in Lincoln Park in Washington DC, argues with a man who wants to keep it, on June 25, 2020. The drive to remove the statue comes amid a wave of calls to take down monuments of Confederate generals. PHOTOGRAPH Evelyn Hockstein for The Washington Post Authentic pictures and stories

It has become a tradition that an accompanying exhibition is linked at the Hungarian National Museum to the exhibition, which presents the often shocking entries. This year, the anniversary exhibition of the Sibiu Workshop presents the works of fifteen Hungarian photographers. “Our lives have been dominated by the epidemic in recent times. True, the summer months have made up for the isolation caused by the pandemic, but we are now looking around the world with concern: what kind of restrictions will the 4th wave bring us? As mankind works together globally to fight the pandemic, photojournalists also report on other regional conflicts, social problems, natural beauty, environmental protection and sporting events. We desperately need authentic images and stories! These photos open a window on the world,” the organizers added. The exhibition, together with the documentary films of Digital Storytelling, provide important insights. It reveals stories and events that would otherwise go unnoticed by many, making the viewer pause, reflect, think and empathize. The travelling exhibition is viewed by more than four million people in 120 venues worldwide. Last year, the exhibition at the Hungarian National Museum was one of the most visited in the world – with more than 45,000 visitors annually in the years leading up to the epidemic.