Oscar B. Castillo
“How do we, as photographers, open our lives for exploration and journey towards our inner selves in our most difficult moments as we so often ask of others? And how do we do it with the intention of making things better? Many questions and difficult answers. Social justice is not only a utopian goal of equality, it is also how we embrace the process and how we approach our stories. I hope to be getting closer and closer with care, respect, solidarity, understanding, mutual support, honesty, and compassion.”
As a part of Photoville, we’re sharing some inside looks into the processes and experiences of our 2020 Photography and Social Justice Fellows as their projects near completion. From the persistent undercurrents of trauma in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane María, to the challenges facing formerly incarcerated youth upon re-entry in Venezuela, and from personal explorations of masculinity, family, and identity, and how they intersect with disability, to challenging harmful practices and stigmas around menstruation in Nepal, this diverse, international group of visual storytellers is exploring new approaches to socially engaged documentary practice.
Moderated by Mengwen Cao, this panel discussion will feature:
Aishwarya Arumbakkam (India), Asef Mohammad (Pakistan), Farzana Hossen (Bangladesh), Gabriella Báez Reyes (Puerto Rico), Jon Santiago (U.S.), Nolan Ryan Trowe (U.S.), Oscar Castillo (Venezuela), Shaima Al-Tamimi (Yemen/Qatar), and Uma Bista (Nepal).
Please make sure to also check out corresponding exhibition Frontlines in Focus.