Magnum Photos and partners The Photography Show are pleased to annouce the three winners of the '30 Under 30' People's Choice Award.
In March 2014, Magnum & The Photography Show collaborated on an Award to identify 30 photographers on the brink of something wonderful.
Over 800 photographers applied, and in addition to the successful 30 photographers, an online vote was cast to identify three 'people's choice' winners.
Congratulations to Adriane Ohanesian (America), Alejandro Cegarra (Venezuela) and Amrita Chandradas (Singapore).
Adriane Ohanesian
"Women of the KIA"
Kachin State, in northern Myanmar, is not solely controlled by the government, but is held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The KIA is the last remaining major rebel group in Myanmar that has not signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. The government of Myanmar has banned UN agencies, international NGOs, and even foreigners from entering into KIA territory, leaving the people of Kachin with little access to the outside world.
The women of Kachin have few opportunities in this isolated region, outside of serving the KIA. From the age of 16 women are eligible to join the army, and often remain there until they are discharged for marriage. While some join out of dedication to their people, others are forcibly recruited. This is a look into the lives of the young women going through their first experiences of military training with the KIA.
Biography:
I am an American freelance documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2008, I received my B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Conflict Resolution from Colorado College, and graduated from the International Center of Photography’s photojournalism and documentary photography program in 2010. Upon the completion of my degree I moved to Khartoum, Sudan and have been photographing mainly in Africa ever since. My initial interest stemmed from a background in Anthropology and desire a to document a way of life and culture. The result of my time in Sudan led to a commitment to photographing communities at war with their own governments. Beginning with humanitarian photography, moving into photojournalism, my focus has now turned to independent projects. In 2013 I traveled to Myanmar to document my first personal story on women rebel soldiers in Kachin State. My photographs have been published by: The New York Times, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME.
<a href="http://adrianeohanesian.com/" target="_blank">http://adrianeohanesian.com/</a>
Amrita Chandradas
“6.9”
Singapore has progressed from third to first world within the last 40 years. What has been compromised in that process? The dead are being moved, traditions are slowly phasing out, buildings are getting taller, spaces are more constrained, xenophobia is on the rise and the future is just getting harder.
By the year of 2030, the government aims to increase the Singaporean population to 6.9 million by gathering more foreigners into the country, due to an ageing local population and dwindling birth rates. Progression comes with a price. As a Singaporean, Amrita chose to go home and document the different paradigms of these changes. She documents the last village of Singapore which would potentially be cleared away in the near future for modern development, Bukit Brown cemetery (largest Chinese cemetery in the world outside of China) currently being demolished to build an 8-way lane high way, migrants; and the life of an unemployed Singaporean man who has six children and resides in a 400 sq. ft. flat.
Dabbling with this complex issue, She unravels the various voices of the people residing in Singapore through their presented realities.
Biography
Amrita Chandradas was born in Singapore and is now currently based in London, England.
Amrita has specialized in various fields such as fine arts, arts management, media, conservation and photography. She has travelled and photographed extensively in Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. Amrita has worked on various photography projects in United Kingdom, Yogyakarta-Indonesia, Singapore, Barbados and Jamaica.
Her work has been featured on BBC world, Barbados Advocate and etc. Amrita recently graduated with an MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London College of Communications and continues to pursue her passion as a documentary photographer – as a storyteller.
<a href="http://www.amritachandradas.com/" target="_blank">http://www.amritachandradas.com/</a>
Alejandro Cegarra
"The other side of the Tower of David"
The Tower of David is a skyscraper located in downtown Caracas, Venezuela. The structure is195 meters high, consists of two towers, and contains 45 floors. Construction began in 1990, but after a devastating economic crisis hit Venezuela in 1994, construction was abandoned. The building was 60% complete. 13 years later, in 2007, construction began again. This time however, it was not for its original purpose. Instead of office spaces, approximately 2,000 families invaded the space illegally.
According to the latest census taken by the inhabitants, there are around 1,300 people currently living there. The Tower of David has become an emblematic symbol of the city of Caracas. It represents the hopes of Caracas to remain a major economic center, and the failure to do so. In this same way, the Tower of David has come to represent Venezuela as a whole. The Tower has a reputation for harboring the most dangerous of criminals; ironically, the inhabitants are drawn to the Tower due to its security.
For them, the Tower is their part in the Bolivarian Revolution. Their way of life is a fight against the social parameters in which they are viewed as a dysfunctional community. The Tower remains a closed society, as they are afraid of being discriminated against, because of their living arrangements. It is rare for an outsider to have such an intimate look. While the take over of the Tower, and their way of life remain controversial, the reality is that the inhabitants are simply people who are searching for a sense of belonging, and a place to call home.
Biography
Alejandro Cegarra is a Venezuela photographer, born in Caracas, the December 7, 1989. He studied photography at the Roberto Mata Photography Workshop, alongside his studies in advertising at the Alejandro Humboldt University.
After having worked for a year in advertising, with photography as a hobby, Alejandro quit his job to only focus on photography. His work has since focused mainly on social issues, particularly those affecting his home of Caracas, Venezuela.
His first job as a photojournalist was in the largest newspaper in Venezuela, “Ultimas Noticias.” , after, now he is employed for The Associated Press in Caracas as a full time stringer.
<a href="http://fotodecalle.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://fotodecalle.blogspot.co.uk/</a>