Autmn / Winter Edition, GPU Magazine 2018 #9 by Global Photographic Union

Global Photographic Union

MAGAZINE ISSUE 09 Autumn/Winter 2018.

WILDLIFE

by Pierluigi Rizzato

BRIEF MEMOIR OF NAIMAN by Eleftheria Konsolaki

EXPLORING & TRACKING KASHMIR by Muna Al Zaabi

GPU ALL OVER THE WORLD - EXHIBITIONS

NEW CROWNS,

VIPS & TITLES

HOME IN A BACKPACK by Imrana KapetanoviÄ&#x2021; CAMEL BELL ON SILK ROAD by Guo Jing

A word from the President.. Dear friends around the world, This was a fruitful year full of accomplishments and activities for GPU! A year which has brought us forward in new ideas, ideas that can be realized in current time and that will bring our association closer to more photographers and people who love photography around the world. Let me refer first to the most important things that have already been done: In the field of charity work of GPU, we printed and donated to the children hospital in Beograd in Serbia, 56 photos of 46 members of GPU making this way the children who are hospitalised there happy and making nicer the place where they are spending a difficult time of their life; GPU with the other photographic associations took part in an international photographic forum which took place in Oman. By the end of August along with the government of Naiman in Inner Mongolia of China, we co-organized the 1st China Naiman Camel Bell on Silk Road International Photo Festival which was attended by photographers from all over the world. In this festival were invited to the presidents of FIAP, PSA and RPS. We also collaborated with the nonprofit organization Envision Kindness for the organization of an international competition having as subject “Our world is kind”. We held print exhibitions of our members’ photos in Turkey - in Ankara and Adana, in China - in Naiman of Inner

Cover image by Eletheria Konsolaki; Aphrodite title

Mongolia as well as in the Yixian International Photographic Festival 2018 and in Baku, Azerbaijan. Moreover, some of the important things that we have scheduled to do: Continuing our charity work and give joy to people who need it by donating photos of our members and thus making the place where they live more beautiful; The organization of the first GPU international photographic competition for young photographers, below the age of 25 with free participation; Founding of the “World photographic Centers” around the world - places which are going to host exhibitions of members of the association, where speeches are going to be given along with workshops and other photographic activities. The existing cooperative clubs in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and China will be incorporated in those centers along with the newly founded centers in the United Arabic Emirates, Sri Lanka, FYROM and Azerbaijan. Moreover, I have to refer to the high acceptability the distinctions of our association have. The number of photographers around the world applying for the GPU titles is in constant increase. Our most expected biannual event is in preparation: GPU Photo Festival which will take place in a particular area in Romania in July of 2019. You will be informed of the details about the festival in the future by the newsletter. As a closure, I’d like to wish you a happy, full of health, 2019. year with good light and beautiful photographic experiences.

Metzakis Manolis GPU ZEUS, GPU CR5, EFIAP/p, ESFIAP, PSA

GPU President

GPU MAGAZINE G l o b a l

P h o t o g r a p h i c

U n i o n

Executive editor & Graphic design Marija Milovanović Maksimović GPU Secretary General

Co - Editor Manolis Metzakis GPU President Back cover by Jovanovski Vladimir; Hermes title

www.gpuphoto.com

Contents

Autumn/ Winter 2018.

Wildlife/Nature photography

Home in a backpack

Ahmed Bennani

Exploring & Tracking Kashmir

“Camel bell on silk road”

A brief memoir of Naiman

GPU in Baku, Azerbaijan

GPU exhibitions

GPU Cowns

GPU Titles

GPU VIPs

by Pierluigi Rizzato

by Imrana Kapetanović

by Saeed Al Shamsi by Muna Al Zaabi

by Shangtuf team/ Guo Jing by Eletheria Konsolaki

by Marija Milovanović Maksimović

GPU Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2018. / 1

“Male leopard ” © Pierluigi Rizzato

The Wild, Fierce and Beautiful Wildlife/Nature photography

Text and photographs by Pierluigi Rizzato I’m involved in nature photography for over thirty-five years ago. And really, I’m very fond of nature more than of photography. I like to be in the field, I like to get excited in observing animal behavior, in discovering new (at least for me new...) events in the animal world. In Italy, I studied (and photographed ...) birds and mammals, but I traveled a lot all over the world. Several trips organized to Alaska and Kamchatka, with the grizzly bear as the first goal. It is fantastic to face a grizzly, to have a giant in front of you, alone. You have to know the grizzly behavior, you mustn’t make any mistake in your action: it can be very dangerous for your life. But the adrenaline is at the highest level ! Totally I spent more than 70 days together with grizzlies, often alone, and it has been very very thrilling. Of course, a lot of nice shots have been taken, but the most important thing, for me, is to live with animals. More than thirty years ago I went to

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Kenya, and from that time, dozens and dozens of safari (the meaning of the word “safari” from Kiswahili language is “travel”) have been organized by me. All the times I’m the guide and the driver of my rented car. I drove in many African countries, yet my preferred area is the Serengeti National Park and surrounding areas, in the north of Tanzania. I like to be in the less crowded plains, looking for predators. The plains which stretch beyond sight and fade into fiery sunsets, the unlimited expanses of grass which conceal the silent footsteps of felines, offer extraordinary opportunities for an exciting and suggestive vision. And I like to follow all day and even more days the same individual or the same pride or family. It is incredible how many things you can see and learn to stay for a long time with the same animal(s).

“Hunting dogs” © Pierluigi Rizzato

And exactly this is the secret to get the best shots in nature photography: the knowledge of the subject that you are taking the picture! This is absolutely necessary: you have to know in advance what will happen in a while, what and how the animal will move or will hunt. It is not easy to sit still for hours, watching an animal and waiting for the event to occur, under a scorching sun. But the emotions that surge when you capture the moment, which will never again happen the same way, in the eternal recurrence of life, are a just reward for the long and nerve-wracking watch, the effort of carrying heavy photographic equipment, the hardship of sometimes uncomfortable positions. In this dimension, the usual marking of time disappears: haste no longer exists and basing oneself on the apparently slow, but in reality inexorable rhythm of the rising and setting sun, one may forget the clock, and begin to move in harmony with the motion that regulates every life form,

“Zebras in the morning” © Pierluigi Rizzato

plants, animals and men. It is enough to leave the confusion of voices and noises in the city, to reach the countryside or the green edges of urban spaces, to discover and observe an undaunted nature. Our eyes are no longer trained, but with patience and perseverance, we will be able to catch surprising and unexpected animal presences. The important thing is not to be in a hurry, and not to give up if at first, you don’t succeed. It often happened that entire days of careful observation went unrewarded, that I missed the encounter I had hoped for or failed to shoot significant pictures. However, the desire to be present at the event, the extreme expectation, have always irresistibly stimulated my return to those places. Also, in fact, the discovery of new events and new patterns of behavior con-

“Superb starling” © Pierluigi Rizzato

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“Four jackals” © Pierluigi Rizzato

firmed to my satisfaction that the vital cycle of nature goes on, and that obviously, it was I who had failed as a spectator, who had got the place or the time wrong. George Schaller, one of the most renowned ethologists, well describes the sensations provoked by the beauty of this paradise: “Beaming with hope and full of dreams, the Serengeti is where we find what we are searching for. At least once in a lifetime, everyone should make a pilgrimage into uncontaminated nature, to pause before its marvels and discover the wonder of a past which has almost disappeared. If I had to choose a place on Earth with these characteristics, I would choose Serengeti. This is the place where the proud ghosts of the human past reside, here the animals are searching for their destiny, living monuments of a time when we wandered over the prehistoric earth. To witness that contained pace of life restores vigor to our exhausted souls and lets us

“ Lioness hunt” © Pierluigi Rizzato

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conquer the feeling that we belong to the world of nature. No one returns unchanged from Serengeti.” To follow predators in their search for food, to foresee which gazelle will fall prey to the cheetah, to observe for hours the silent waiting of the lioness lying in ambush in the grass, to watch the birth of a gnu and its first significant minutes of life, are moments which provide unique and unforgettable emotions. This is why, when I am asked why I keep returning to Africa, to the Serengeti, the words of Hemingway, in “Green Hills of Africa”, inevitably surface in my memory: “I really loved that country, I felt right at home, and when someone feels at home far away from the place he was born, it means that those places were made for him (…) I would have gone back to Africa (…) where I liked to live, really live, not just spend time.”

“Jackal and vulture” © Pierluigi Rizzato

“ Love fighting” © Pierluigi Rizzato

Pierluigi Rizzato has been a photographer for over thirty five years, dedicating great passion and commitment to his work in nature photography. His images rely on a profound understanding of the characteristics of his subjects, which he has acquired through study and research, and patient observation on the field. He is one of the members of the Italian team that won 13 FIAP World Cup, gaining the first individual prize in 2003 and in 2016. His photographs have earned him more than 600 awards abroad, winning photographic contests in 57 countries in the world. Pierluigi is organizing photographic trip/workshop in Africa, mainly in the Serengeti, with small group of photographers (usually four), and he is the guide and the driver. Contact : pierluigi.rizzato@gmail.com

“Havy rain” © Pierluigi Rizzato

Pierluigi’s “lightweight” machinery

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HOME IN A BACKPACK On a tedious path to a better, safer future... Reportage : Migrant crisis; Balkan route in Bosnia and Herzegovina Text and all photographs by Imrana Kapetanović By official data, Bosnian and Herzegovinian border crossed around 10 000 migrants with children. Some of them are refugees from war areas, but a lot of them are running from poverty, searching for some better future somewhere in the West. Velika Kladuša, as the final point at the northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last months is the last station on Balkan route and entering point to the European Union. For the last past months migrants heading towards the EU are placed in the city Velika Kladuša, trying every day to pass the border and continue their journeys. A man on an improvised bed

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The shelter

Improvised showers

Living conditions Conditions in which these men, woman and children live are just undescribable. Although a small group of national and international volounteers are trying to ease their life at the moment, the government is not doing almost anything and they are living on the edge. «I can not remember when I slept in a normal bed, I forgot that feeling», said one man to me, who is traveling for more than two years now, trying all the time to go through but without success. «Last time when I tried to go to the EU I came to Slovenia, all by foot. And I thought this i sit, I am finally free – and they caught me and returned to Velika Kladuša.» Clothes and showers are with cold water, but they are happy that this is possible at all. Everybody takes care of their own clothes. One man from Afganistan, Mustafa, said that he comes from very poor family. Clothes he got here is much better than he used to wear at home, and intends to keep it through all of his journey.

The laundry area

Shelter

«Everything is improvised. At the moment I am trying to «save» jeans form one migrant.» said Petra, volounteer from Austria. «Iti s hard for everybody here, but families are suffering the most. Men who travel alone or in groups do not have to worry about small kids. Families do.» Families live in a meadow, under tents. Hoda, mother of nine month Sylvia sad that the worst part is a toilet. And that is something they need to do every day.» They are not wearing a lot of things with them, the most important is to have everything for the baby. A lot of them sleeps «under the stars», mainly people who come to Velika Kladuša for the first time. Volounteers are building tents for them but this summer the climate changed at the Balkans, every day is raining a lot and improvised camp is constantly full of mud and dirt and improvised tents are collapsing. They are trying every day to continue their journey further on to Western Europe. Ali, a man from Afganistan, tried more than 60 times to get through. He misses his family very much and his goal is to go to Paris, work as a wall painter, earn some money and go back. «I miss my family very much. I am married and I have four children. All I want is to provide better life for them back home in Afganistan. I grew up in a very poor family, I didn’t even finish elementary school because I had to work. I do not want that for my children. I am traveling for more than two years now, I’ve been beaten, humiliated, I was even locked up in jail for a week… But I am not a criminal, I am just trying to have better life.»

Volunteer repairing the jeans

Family living in a tent in the middle of the meadow

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Food distribution by volunteers

SOS Kitchen Food is distributed every day to the camp, but majority of the food is prepared in SOS kitchen, run by three war veterans who opened the kitchen for people at the border and they are doing everything for free, preparing a food from donations they got from the locals. Story about SOS Kitchen is the most positive story in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the moment. It is story about humanity, story about solidarity, story about being a human, story about friendship. Everything started in February 2018, when Asim, one of three men who are running the kitchen, decided to close the restaurant he had because of lack of money and interest for such a place. And than, one day, he saw a man standing in front of the ex restaurant. They communicated with mimic. Asim asked him weather he is hungry. The guy said yes, and he got into the kitchen to prepare some scrumbeled eggs for him, from theleftovers in the ex restaurant. And than, the next day, there were more of themâ&#x20AC;Ś so Asim decided to reopen the kitchen, despite the thing that he just closed his business and that the kitchen will work illegally. Refik and Halil joined him. Although Halil is an amputee, he is serving meals every day to refugees.

SOS kitchen

Asim, Rafik and Halil at the restaurant

Migrants playing games at the field

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Dinner time

Shelter in the city of Sjenica Refugees spend their days mostly hangning around, and they are always in contact with their families and friends. Iti s very important to them that their phone battery is always fully charged and to have Internet access. Small caffee close to SOS kitchen is providing free wi-fi, so if they are not in camp, they are in front of the caffee. And they all want to go to the European Union. Just few of them expressed interest to stay here. «Iti s never boring with these people. I will say to you once again: people are very nice here. You have beautiful country, culture, mountains, nature, rivers… believe me, I know, I went through it by foot. Keep it that way, I am continuing my journey.»

Imrana Kapetanović GPU Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Imrana is professional photographer from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is the owner of photo studio TNT and she is running her own photography school, delivering workshops for young journalists and media professionals. In last 10 years she participated and initiated many projects covering various subjects on discrimination in BH society, as in many regional art projects, seminars and photography colonies and camps. She is also engaged in humanitarian work, including position of volunteer photography teacher in Sarajevo’s Orphanage.She held 11 solo exhibition, participated in more than 160 group exhibitions and received several prestigious awards. Currently she is completing two separate MA programmes tackling the question of photography as a way of communication through election posters and woman in work environment.

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Awakening the concscience through art On a first glance, one would simply be struck by the sheer beauty of Ahmed Bennani’s work. It is indeed beautiful: the organic shapes, the daring colours, the light, the transparency, the contrasts between the black background and the picture in the foreground. The technique and aesthetics are impeccable. Is it photography or painting? It is both. Photography and painting: Two layers, superimposed to form unique pieces. The shapes are embroidered cloth, aren’t they? They are indeed cloth. Embroidered silk and lace. Connoisseurs of Moroccan culture could happily spot the rich embroideries and place them on a map according to their region of origin.

Artist: Ahmed Bennani by Saeed Al Shamsi

They are the kind of works any art lover would love to see on the walls of their favourite room and talk about for hours with friends. But if you keep looking, there’s a second layer underneath the apparently randomly hanging cloth. Noticed the bodies? You see the women wrapped within the richly embroidered cloths? Now, all types of art references come to mind. From classical painting to Helmut Newton’s famous nudes. The beautiful naked bodies in black and white. Anonymous women, standing, laying full length or showing only body parts. Are these lascivious postures? Are they wrapped up like some precious presents? They seem like frozen, in expectation. Are these erotic pictures? For the not so well informed about Bennani’s work, this could seem like a series of works about a sophisticated seduction game. A well-informed eye, on the other hand, would see further than just the alluring aesthetics and the voluptuous shapes. They would see the awkward postures of the bodies, the discomfort, the uneasiness when the body seems to be living. In a different scene, the body is lifeless, wrapped in a mortuary drape, showing only the top of the body. © Ahmed Bennani

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The cloth is no longer a luxurious wrapping, but a trap. Bennani is not a man of many words, but his palette is full of tools and imagination. He uses symbols of Moroccan culture to talk about Moroccan women. He reinterprets the “litham” (a small veil that covers the mouth and sometimes the nose, tied behind the head, worn to complete the traditional Jellaba outfit). In Bennani’s hands the litham is larger than life: over 4 meters long instead 30 centimetres, long enough to cover the whole body. When asked if he’s an activist, Bennani replies: “I’m no activist, it’s too a strong word for me”. Let’s call him an artist with a social conscience. Bennani exercises no judgement. He uses photography and painting just like a writer would use words to express his views and concerns about women in his country.

His message is universal, however. Simone de Beauvoir said at the very beginning of her essay “The Second Sex”: “one isn’t born a woman, one becomes one”, meaning that society prescribes a role and a place for women. Bennani’s women endure the same process. They are born human beings and morphed into social roles with or without their consent, with more duties than rights.

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EXPLORING & TRACKING

Text and all photographs by Muna Al Zaabi “Kashmir is like a heaven on earth” common line we hear all the time, but is it really? I decided to explore that heaven and signed up for a group trip to Kashmir in June 2018. It is indeed one of the most beautiful places I have visited. Its welcoming and warm nature, diverse culture, beautiful people and unique architecture speak of authenticity, greatness and humanity. Srinagar, the city of the houseboats and shikaras (small wooden boats for transport from the houseboats to the city). Why houseboats when the land is so huge?

Srinagar

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KASHMIR

Kashmir has a special status with the India union, where people from outside the state are not allowed to buy lands, therefore, they came up with the houseboats, and those became a part of the Kashmiri lifestyle. Srinagar is one of the most romantic and peaceful cities in Kashmir, where I was able to experience the rich heritage, beautiful cool climate, diverse religion, authentic sofis music and their special hot drink called “Kehwa” which is a traditional green tea with spices and almond.

Srinagar

At Gangapal mountain

Early morning at dawn, using a shikara I was taken to the floating market, another experience I cherished, where big shikaras carry merchants of jewellery, vegetables, seeds and flowers start their day at dawn to earn a living, using their charming smiles and friendly personalities. Another thing I noticed in Kashmir is its diverse religions such as Muslim with the majority population, Hinduism and Buddhism. They all have a common cultural heritage in literature, arts, crafts, pilgrimages and music. I visited two of their old mosques, beautiful architecture, the color green is everywhere, which reflects heaven. Hiking in Kashmir is another lifetime experience. Gangapal is a mountain range in the Himalayas with 3,600 height and three days hike. Apart from its stunning natural scen-

ery with clouds touching the mountains, foggy trees, snow patches, reaching the lake after two days trekking was a great reward. I was able to live a lifetime experience in just three days, where I met different types of people and learned so much about their different ways of living. The Gaddis a tribe of people who played the flute, I was fortunate to meet one of them and listen to their enjoyable romantic Kashmiri music. The most interesting people I had met during this hike were the Bakarwal tribes. Every year, these herder families travel between the Jammuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Himalayan mountains and the meadows of Kashmir with their flocks of cattle, horses, goats and sheep. Regardless of the weather, rocky, dangerous roads and harsh environment.

Srinagar The Gaddis

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The bad weather did not spare us either, and we had faced one of the strongest storms while camping on the mountain where the tents flew, and we had to use animal huts for shelter, in addition to the freezing winds and rain which we did not prepare for. Surviving such storm had changed our perspective on life and taught us to prioritise our lives better.

Muna Al Zaabi E-FIAP, GPUCR3, VIP1

GPU representative for UAE, also active as a board member of Emirates Photographers Society. Holder of Msc in Technology and innovation management and working at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority as Innovation manager. She won over 70 awards on local and international exhibitions, as well participated as photography competition judge (local and international). Specialized in Travel and Street Photography. She had 2 solo Exhibitions, in UK and UAE and was a part of several group exhibitions: in UAE, Morocco, Turkey, Oman, Saudi Arabia and China.

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“CAMEL BELL ON SILK ROAD” 1ST CHINA NAIMAN INTERNATIONAL PHOTO FESTIVAL by Shangtuf team/ Guo Jing “Camel Bell on Silk Road” 1st China Naiman International Photo Festival was successfully concluded on Sep 4th. Themed on “Camel Bell on Silk Road”, the festival aims to actively respond to and promote the Belt and Road Initiative to showcase unique culture, customs and traditions along Silk Road countries, to strengthen understandings and friendship among nations, and to achieve mutual benefits and win-win situation. The festival has drawn the attention of renown photographers at home and abroad, receiving about 20,000 images of 1384 photographers from 52 countries. It is an unprecedented gathering for photographers at international level where they witness the charm of Silk Road culture through photography. This edition of festival is jointly organized by Global Photographic Union(GPU), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Photographers Association, Naiman Banner Committee of the Communist Party of China, Naiman Municipal Government, Shangtuf Image and Art Development Co. Ltd., etc,

Exhibition of photos of GPU members

and is supported by three other major photography institutes, FIAP, PSA, RPS, as well as other photo groups across the globe. On behalf of GPU, Saeed Al Shamsi delivered a speech at the opening ceremony on Aug 31. Guo Jing, the GPU board member, was invited as chief curator of the festival to plan exhibitions along with other prominent international curators. Besides, a selection of 50 GPU member images, and several solo exhibitions by GPU members Saeed Al Shamsi, Daniel De Cort, Christine Lindebrings, Ola Allouz and others, were displayed and well received at the festival. Following the trend of the era and tightly focusing on the demands of the cross-cultural exchange of photographic art, this event invites many international photographic organisations to join it. Through a series of activities such as international photographic conferences, photographic lectures, exhibitions, photo tours, the organizer hopes to achieve development, integration and innovation of photographic art across borders.

Outdoor venue

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Saeed Al Shamsi, GPU GB member giving the speech about GPU

Grand opening

Grand Opening On Aug.31, “Camel Bell on Silk Road” First China Naiman International Photography Festival commenced with a grand opening at Suede scenic Spot, attracting more than 80,000 audiences. Several performances such as the Nadam Fair, a parade of the special folk-custom, folk songs and dances, and the horsehead fiddle performance, fully displayed the unique culture of Mongolian ethnic group in China, providing for photographers who gathered here to create wonderful photographic works.

Lectures

2018 “Ecological Desert” The 3rd Naiman Banner National Photography Exhibition was inaugurated, and awards were presented to photographers at the opening ceremony. A jury of 12 known photographers selected exhibitions with outstanding performance, awards such as Top 10 Overall Outstanding Photographers, Outstanding Documentary, Nature and Environment, Creative Art, and Landscape Photographers were given at the opening ceremony. Besides, the festival also awarded nine photographers who have made great contribution to promote Naiman, Mr. Saeed Al Shamsi, president of Photographers Society of Emirates and GPU board member, was given a special award for his efforts to Naiman. Exhibitions The festival exhibited a large number of brilliant photographic works from more than 30 countries, China, United States, United Kingdom, Austrailia, Italy, Greece, India, UAE, Japan and more. The Exhibition is divided into 5 sections with 12 parts, among which Special Theme Exhibitions includes The Lucie Awards Masters Exhibition, Chinese Masters Photography Exhibition, International Photographic Organizations Exhibitions, The Silk Road Countries Photography Exhibition, “Environmental Conservation”, “Peace”, and “Development” Photography Exhibition, Group Photography Exhibition from Four Ancient Civilizations, 40th Years of China’s Reform and Opening-up Policy Under Lens of Overseas Photographers Exhibition, Shangtuf Members Award-winning Photo Exbhition, as well as other exhibitions featuring on Naiman and Mongolia.

Forum

Tv interview with Guo Jing, GPU GB member and Chef curator of the exhibitions

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3. Lectures by renowned photographers During the festival, renowned persons from photo industry in China and abroad gave lectures, including Housein Farmani, President of Lucie Foundation, Keith Gillett, PSA Exhibition Standard Director for Asia, Jeff Moorfoot, former president of Ballarat Photo Festival, famous photographer Robert van der Hilst, Meisheng Zhou, world heritage image expert. Besides, photo groups and individuals from more than 30 countries were united and participated at “Environmental Conservation, Peace, and Development” forum hosted by Zang Ce, a well-known Chinese literature and photography theorist. André Rouillé, the historian of photography and professor at Université Paris 8, France, also attend the forum. Together, they initialled an initiative responding to current issue on Environmental Conservation, Peace, and Development.

Tradional hand works

4.Photo Tour and Charitable events The festival also organised 4-day tour around Naiman, group wedding of 56 ethnic groups in China, Miss Desert pageant, Nadaamu festival, and other local custom and traditions were held where photographers were thrilled to photograph to document the beauty of the land. At the meantime, China Photo Press also organized a ceremony to appoint Tunmiao as its base for photography to help the village. Apart from that, Photographers Night was held on Sep 2nd where photographers attending the festival gathered to sing and dance to share the beautiful moment in Naiman. Ethnic costumes

Tradional sports Ethnic dance

Group desert wedding

Tradional costumes at photo tours

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by Eleftheria Konsolaki

A BRIEF MEMOIR OF

NAIMAN

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

Undoubtedly, the area of Naiman is a place where a traveler and photographer can fulfill a lot of wishes: wishes for amazing landscapes, deep culture, ancient and unique architectural structures, traditional and modern contrasts, kind people, special tastes. For a young European citizen, like me, when there is some free time from the overloaded everyday life, travel in Europe or North Africa is the best solution. But to travel to a geographically far away destination like Naiman is not an easy choice. But this is one of the reasons I love GPU. Because one day, out of the blue, an invitation for a photographic festival for this -far away from me - land arrived. So everything was organized quickly, and one month later I was travelling to Naiman Banner, in northern China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

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Definitely, I was thrilled that I would travel to such a unique destination, but I was even more excited that I would have the chance to meet there some friends from our GPU big family and attend a huge festival of photographic art. After more than 30 hours of travelling, and after I used a car, a taxi, several buses and four airplanes, I was there! Guo Jing (GPU Gov. Board member and Naiman festival curator) and her team welcomed us warmly. Our GPU fellowship grew bigger with Mr Saeed Al Shamsi (GPU Gov Board member), Ola Allouz, Yousif Alhosani, Daniel De Cort, Kristien Lindebrings and Subrata Bysack, all of them also GPU members. From August 29th to September 4th all of us, among many more festival participants from China and all over the world, had the opportunity to attend multiple activities. Not only we had the chance meet important people of photography world

and learn about their work (like Hussain Farmani, founder of the Lucie awards) but also to view several high level exhibitions (among them was also a big GPU members exhibition as one of the main sponsors of the festival and also GPU solo exhibitions for the GPU members invited at the festival). We attended grand ceremonies in which several photographers were honored. And at last but not least we had the chance to fulfill one of our deepest wishes: to take memories of Naiman with us forever. So we visited the open air local markets, the desert, the traditional Mongolian yurts, the Naiman beautiful countryside with its imposing Buddhist temples and the agrarian utopia outside the huge Chinese cities. We had the opportunity to explore the uniqueness of this non-touristic and very special area of the world, and this is mostly owed to GPU that with is international activities and connections gives the chances to its members not only to promote their photographic work but also to ‘’allow and encourage cultural exchange’’.

Eleftheria Konsolaki Aphrodite, GPU CR2

is a high school literature teacher. Works in GPU as technical & logistics support, covering various issues and tasks. In photography for several years, with passion and enthusiasm. © Daniel De Cort

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GPU IN BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 19TH-20TH OCTOBER 2018. by Marija Milovanović Maksimović GPU Secretary General

GPU organized and displayed the 50 members’ printed photos at the exhibition at “Gallery 1969” in the city center of Baku, Azerbaijan, with the courtesy of Rauf Umudov and AFB- Azerbaijan Photographers Association (Azərbaycan Fotoqrafları Birliyi) who welcomed us with the great hospitality. The works displayed at the exhibition were from 50 GPU members, all from different countries and with the works internationally recognized. The AFB president Mirnaib Hasanoglu opened the exhibition, and GPU president Manolis Metzakis gave a speech about GPU and its members and introduced Mr. Rauf Umudov, the vice president of AFB, as the new GPU representative for Azerbaijan. We want to thank also Mr. Nurlan Tahirli, who was in the organization and he ensured that everything is going smoothly as our guide and translator.

The same day, GPU governing board members and Mr. Rauf Umudov were hosted in the TV show on the national frequency, talking about culture, photography and GPU’s place on the worldwide stage. On the 20th October, our host organized the meeting of local photographers and GPU in Ataturk Merkezi center, where governing board members (Manolis Metzakis, Claudio Calosi, John Law, Marija Milovanović Maksimović, Saeed al Shamsi, Freddy Laheye and Guo Jing) of GPU held the presentation about our association and also the introduction of AFB was shown by the president of Azerbaijani photoassociation, Mirnaib Hasanoglu. A lot of local phoGPU governing board members and Rauf Umudov at the Opening of the exhibition © Nurlan Tahirli

20 / GPU Magazine . Autumn/Winter 2018.

tographers attended the meeting, as well as the older generation of acclaimed Azerbaijani photographers, which are present on the international and domestic stage for several decades. Governing board members answered on many questions asked about GPU activity and work, and it was discussed as well about the contemporary photography trends in the world. We were also introduced with Azerbaijani contemporary photographers and their works at three exhibitions (one solo and two groups), that took place in the center of Baku on those two days. GPU also held the governing board meeting, where new ideas and plans were introduced, new strategies developed, issued discussed, all in favor of future GPU growth and improvement. With this new activities and meetings, GPU has broadened its community and worldwide coverage, welcoming new countries and more members, allowing more diversity and continuing with new cultural exchanges where all of us are connected not just with common interest photography, but also with the vast treasure – friendship.

GPU governing board meeting

GPU Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2018. / 21

GPU PRINT EXHIBITIONS Prepared by Marija Milovanović Maksimović GPU Secetary General

& PRESENTATIONS

BESIDE TWO BIG EVENTS IN NAIMAN, CHINA AND BAKU , AZERBAIJAN ABOUT WHICH YOU CAN READ IN SEPARATE ARTICLES, GPU HAS ORGANIZED AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL MORE FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AROUND THE GLOBE:

TURKEY, ANKARA & ADANA 40 PRINTS EXHIBITIONS MAY 2018. & OCTOBER 2018. The GPU selected members photos were exhibited in large prints in Ankara in TFSF gallery, where president Manolis Metzakis and vice-president John Law attended the exhibition and the second exhibition was in “Sefa Ulukan art gallery” in the city of Adana, where John Law gave a presentation about GPU. This exhibition was chosen as one of the “ Mobile Exhibitions of TFSF(Photographic Arts Federation Of Turkey), and it will travel to other association galleries all around Turkey. GPU representative for Turkey Sefa Ulukan organized and carried out both showings.

CHINA, LUYONG, THE 26TH FEDERATION OF ASIAN PHOTOGRAPHIC ART MEETING PRINT EXHIBITION SEPTEMBER 2018. GPU was invited to attend the 26th Federation of Asian Photographic Art Meeting on Sep.15 -24, 2018 in Luoyang, Henan. On behalf of GPU, Ms. Guo Jing, GPU board member and GPU China Representative was present at the Meeting and the GPU Members Exhibition was showcased at the main exhibition venue during the event. Ms. Guo Jing also introduced GPU in details during the event, expressed the wish to carry out more interaction with FAPA in the future, to achieve the beautiful vision for the development of international photography and the encouragement of cultural exchanges among photographers. The exhibition from GPU members was presented exquisitely at the Meeting. The high quality images were well received among its viewers. Besides, numerous solo and group exhibitions, including Flower and the World” International Photography Exhibition, FAPA Silk Road Image International Federation Membership Organizations Photographic Exhibitions, Silk Road Image-Award-winning Image Exhibition, provide a world-class visual feast for the viewers. Apart from exhibitions, several photography art appreciation session, lecture and photo tour in Luoyang were arranged. Throughout the events, photographers are able to talk and learn from each other, and most importantly, document and promote the beauty of Luoyang to other part of the world. 22 / GPU Magazine . Autumn/Winter 2018.

MOROCCO, RABAT RABAT LUMIERE 1ST FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE L’ART PHOTOGRAPHIQUE, JULY 2018 Jointly organized by GPU, The Belt and Road Initiative into North Africa & Photography Art Exchanges to celebrate 60th anniversary of China-Morocco diplomatic relations. Guo Jing, GPU board member and GPU Representative in China and Mustapha Meskine GPU Representative in Morocco planned the event. John Law, GPU vice-president held the presentation of AV show of over 100 GPU members images from 2018 photobook as audio visual show from GPU Foto-festival 2017 held in Greece.

GERMANY, UNTEREISENHEIM

PRESENTATION, SEPTEMBER 2018.

At the big cultural event by name “Kulturherbst Untereisenheim”, “Bild Genuss” (Picture enjoyment) was held as a Meet and Great for and from photographers and all other photo lovers, during two weekends (22./23.09 and 29./30.09.2018), and the event gathered over 1800 visitors. Our most active GPU member from Germany, Jerry-Louis Ruff held the presentation about GPU, its presence on international photo scene, licensing, titles and membership benefits.

CHINA, YIXIAN INTERNATIONAL PHOTO FESTIVAL 2018 GPU MEMBERS EXHIBITION SPOTLIGHT, NOVEMBER 2018. GPU as one of the internationally renowned photographic institutions, has always actively supported and participated in international photographic art exchange events. At China Yixian International Photo Festival, GPU featured 50 members artworks displayed in main exhibition venue, which were selected among GPU members all over the world, to bring a unique visual experience for Chinese audiences. Beside the group exhibition, there were 4 solo exhibitions with the photos from these members: Nurlan Tahirli from Azerbaijan, Xu Xiaoven and Wang Yunshin from China and Mustapha Meskine from Morroco. Every splendid work was well received, and local TV stations has specially filmed and reported in the GPU members exhibition area. In addition, in the part of “ Silk Road Country Photography Joint Exhibition” at this festival, GPU as one member of Silk Road Photography Alliance was involved as well, some outstanding members works were presented in the joint exhibition, showed 10 countries different customs along the belt and road.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, SARAJEVO PRESENTATION, NOVEMBER 2018. GPU representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Imrana Kapetanović, held the first GPU introduction session to young enthusiasts who just started with their exhibition participations and collecting valuable points and distinctions. She presented the av show of the images from the latest GPU donation exhibition as well as the explanation of the mission and vision of the organization, guiding through the exhibitions and distinctions.

GPU Magazine. Autumn/Winter 2018. / 23

GPU CROWNS

Crowns & VIP Officer Claudio Calosi by

CROWN 1

CROWN 2

Austin Joan ............................ UK Azzopardi Manweli ................ Malta Bandara Pandula ................... Sri Lanka Banerjee Abhijeet Kumar ...... India Barbier Gerard......................... France Bolgov Ruslan ........................ Lithuania Davies Tony .............................. UK D’Eramo Umberto ................. Italy Ekstrom Jan ........................... Finland Falcone Francesco ................ Italy Gudem Roy ............................... Norway Guerreiro Amparo .................. Greece Harris Graham ....................... Australia Kilic Mustafa .......................... Turkey Ivanova Teodora .................... Greece Pal Udayan Sankar ................ India Rondel Brigitte ...................... France Secmen Ozgur ......................... Turkey Sen Ashim .................................. India Shaaban Ahmed Abdel Hamid . Egypt Trek Shehan Anthony ........... Sri Lanka Win Wunna ............................. Myanmar

Abu Shalwa Mofeed ............................ Saudi Arabia Alabdrabareda Ali ................................. Saudi Arabia Bandara Pandula ................................... Sri Lanka Bhattacharyya Saurabh ...................... India Causse Eric ................................................. France Choi Lewis Ka-Yin .................................. Hong Kong Filiaggi Nadia ........................................... Australia Halvas-Nielsen Herdis ........................ Germany Joyraj Samanta ........................................ India Kazepidis Vasilis ...................................... Greece Konsolaki Eleftheria ........................... Greece Maung Thi Ha .......................................... Myanmar Pal Udayan Sankar .............................. India Perera Dinesh Rukmal Ayantha .. Sri Lanka Rusu Adela Lia ......................................... Romania Taher Sawsan ............................................ Bahrain Teuschel Peter .......................................... Germany Tomassi Antonella ................................... Italy Tommi Massimo .......................................... Italy Vaidya Prashant ....................................... India Vrentzou Pelagia ..................................... Greece Win Wunna ................................................. Myanmar Rondel Brigitte ......................................... France Secmen Ozgur ............................................ Turkey Sen Ashim ...................................................... India Shaaban Ahmed Abdel Hamid ........... Egypt Trek Shehan Anthony ............................ Sri Lanka Win Wunna .................................................. Myanmar

CROWN 3 Alkhamis Abbas ...................... Saudi Arabia Bandara Pandula .................. Sri Lanka Choi Lewis Ka-Yin ................. Hong Kong Das Sharmali .......................... India Geus Serge .............................. France Lim Guek Cheng .................... Malaysia Maung Thi Ha ....................... Myanmar Teuschel Peter ...................... Germany Wanna Tigh .......................... Myanmar YeŞiltaŞ Bekir ........................ Turkey

CROWN 5 Teo Giap Chiu .............................................. Singapore

24 / GPU Magazine . Autumn/Winter 2018.

“Nikos ”

2018.

GPU TITLES

by Titles

Officer Saeed Al Shamsi

APHRODITE Almuhanna Yousef .................... Kuwait Banerjee Abhijeet Kumar ....... India Bhattacharyya Saurabh ........... India Choi Lewis Ka Yin ...................... Hong kong Choudhury Ratnajit ................. India Datta Shourjendra ................... India Dubois Steeve .............................. Mauritius Hassan Ahmed Mohamed ...... Qatar Htet Hein ....................................... Singapore Konsolaki Eleftheria ............... Greece Law Evren ................................... Turkey Marketaki Xrysa ....................... Greece Morata Alain .............................. France Pandula Bandara ..................... Sri Lanka Suer Mehmet Masum ............... Turkey

HERMES Di Candia Lorenzo ...... Italy Jovanovski Vladimir ... FyroM Khatri Sharifa .............. India Ruff Jerry-Louis ....... Germany Sanjoy Sengupta .......... India

ZEUS Baladakis George ........ Greece

GPU VIPS

Crowns & VIP Officer Claudio Calosi by

Maung Thi Ha ................................ Myanmar Nagy Lajos ..................................... Romania VIP 2 Alkhamis Abbas .............................. Saudi Arabia Lim Guek Cheng ............................. Malaysia Maung Thi Ha ................................ Myanmar Tomassi Antonella ......................... Italy Tommi Massimo ............................... Italy Wanna Tigh .................................... Myanmar

VIP 3

VIP 1 Baladakis George ........................... Greece Bolgov Ruslan ................................. Lithuania D’Eramo Umberto ............................ Italy Maung Thi Ha .................................. Myanmar

“Across the river”