The short-listed young photographers come from the Netherlands, UK, United States, Israel, Estonia and Albania. Their photos will be on display at the Vangjush Mio gallery in the southeastern city of Korca, starting on June 24
TIRANA, June 22 – Fifteen Albanian and international artists have been selected to participate in the Sotiri International competition for young photographers in the southeastern town of Korca. This year’s fourth edition of the Sotiri competition is observed by the French photographer Anouck Durand and focuses on the concept of “Intimate Propaganda: Family photographs.”
“There are millions of family snap shots. Most of them are realized by amateurs and the families themselves. Whereas the families differ, the photographs are very alike. The chosen scenes are dependent on the same codes, representing happiness. To quote Martin Parr ‘most family photo albums are a form of propaganda, where the family looks perfect and everyone is smiling.’ How can we use or undo theses codes? By creating a new setting with real or fictional families? By exploiting existing photography?” stated Durand.
The project includes new photographs, photos from family albums, and mixed techniques (collage, paintings, montages were welcomed).
The short-listed young photographers come from the Netherlands, UK, United States, Israel, Estonia and Albania. Their photos will be on display at the Vangjush Mio gallery in the south-eastern city of Korca starting on June 24.
Since 2008, young artists from all over the world have been invited to Kor衠to show their best works in an exhibition and participate in the panel discussion. The Sotiri Prize aims to support new developments in the field of photography, both in Albania and internationally, as well as to promote the values of the Sotiri collection, as part of the Albanian photography heritage. The prize is named after the local photographer Kristaq Sotiri (1883-1970) who was trained at the studio of the US photographer Steckel. There he learned not only the basic techniques of photographic portraiture, but was also became acquainted with the style of pictorialism. According to Francois Cheval, the director of the Museum Nic걨or Ni걣e in France, Sotiri was a master in capturing the right moment, as well as in creating intelligent compositions of events and portraits of people. These portraits gave Sotiri the opportunity to apply pictorialism, which makes the collection of his images a rare thing within the Albanian photography tradition.
“Sotiri” is an international competition for young photographers, organized by the Cultural Center Lindart&Anima (CCLA) in Tirana, Albania.
