Imagine if You Can; Picture This.
During my short stay in Amsterdam, I had the fortune of visiting the World Press Photo 2015 photo exhibit that displayed winning entries, taken and submitted, from around the world. The photos were judged by various panels of judges through multiple stages/rounds until winners in different categories could be decided upon. The process took place in Amsterdam itself and hearing about the selection process was almost as interesting as the photographs themselves.
I happened to catch the exhibit during its first display in the Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square, from the 18th of April to the 5th of July 2015. The exhibit will be travelling worldwide and showcasing the most affecting photographs entered into the contest. Entry to the exhibit was only 10 Euros and without quite knowing what to expect, I took a curious gamble and ventured inside.
I was pretty sure that I had heard the name of the organisation before, but I could not recall the context or time that the memory was created, nonetheless, upon being graced by the grandeur inside the church and greeted with a wall displaying the history of winning selections; I was lost inside a new world.
In this world, hope wasn’t always apparent and the sheer volumes of photos that reared the uglier head of humanity were all too clear to see. From war and civilian death in the Ukraine to strangers eating at fast food restaurants, the range and variety of styles, subjects and techniques were an awe-inspiring experience for a plebian novice such as myself. Matching the oft gruesome photographs with the majesty of the building that housed them was almost a juxtaposition too far, for my brain to handle.
One of the more immediately striking photographs was taken during riots in Turkey in response to the death of a young lad who had been hit in the head with a tear gas canister. Everything from the colour present to the girl’s expression forms a powerful effect and leaves an instant impact upon the viewer.
Although still a relatively small exhibit, there was a great variety of media available to digest: winners from each category were displayed on boards giving a short story behind the entry and providing a QR code that could link you directly the photo page on the website (useless for myself, but no doubt appreciated by others); there was a small off-set room that ran interviews with members of the judging panel detailing the selection process and their thoughts behind some of the main winners and lastly, a room dedicated to video documentaries.
The documentaries were displayed on large screen projections with tendrils of earphone cables hanging from suspended racks. Given the topics and subject matter of the films, the strength of silence, when not connected to any headphones, was almost deafening. I managed to watch documentaries on cubicle living in Japan; Ebola outbreaks in Monrovia; illegal entry into Europe and police violence in America before I had to just move on. Without a doubt, the video of Eric Garner’s death was a lot to deal with and it was hard to process the cocktail of anger, sadness and disappointment that it drew from within.
Fortunately, before leaving the multimedia area I encountered the interactive documentary {The And} that took a simple premise and turned it into something that was hugely effective. 30 different couples were asked to sit and face each other whilst asking and answering questions that had been written onto cards for them. Three stationary cameras then recorded their interactions and the pieces were edited together to make a personalised and personable response to how the viewer had answered a series of questions at the computer terminal, beforehand. After watching the tailored sample, you were then free to browse through any of the couples that had taken part in the documentary. In my humble and honest opinion, it was both parts of Ali {AND} Andrew that were the best to watch – if you so desire, the couples’ gallery can be found at theand.us website after watching your tailored film segment. Just the honesty and the emotion between these two was heartbreaking yet hilarious and warming. Relationships are often messy and none of that quagmire of experience is lost on these exes.
The one item I made sure to purchase from the exhibit gift store, for 25 Euros, was a copy of the book detailing the photographs and their stories. The overall winning entry to claim ‘Photograph of the Year’ was displayed on the cover – this year it was a portrait of a gay, Russian couple on the floor next to a fireplace. Simple, yet beautiful the picture displayed true love in a country where oppression was rampant. The world may not be filled with overly apparent hope, but beauty can still be found in the tiniest of corners.
Should I Visit an Exhibit?
Yes. Take an open mind and a fortitude of mental mettle; your world will be challenged and your eyes will feel the sting of what you see.
Accidentally Wayfaring 