2020 Photography and Social Justice Fellows
Oscar Castillo, | From L to R: Ray, Hector and Rollon, Members of Free Convict, a hip hop group formed inside the prison, sit in top of the highest point of the jail and record a music video clip with a drone. This place used to be the bell tower of the prison's church but became the check point for gangs to control the prison and its perimeter, the bullet shots on the walls testify of the many battles between prisoners and authorities.
Magnum Foundation was founded in the midst of a shifting media landscape to support and empower independent visual storytellers operating in a new paradigm, and we have continued to innovate, experiment, and refine our programs to meet new challenges. In the face of current global crisis and economic upheaval, visual storytellers can provide crucial perspective and elevate the experiences of the most vulnerable among us.
To that end, Magnum Foundation is proud to announce the 2020 Photography and Social Justice Fellows, nine photographers, artists, journalists, and activists who are passionate about challenging injustice, pursuing social equality, and advancing human rights through photography.
Selected from 650 applicants, they join 48 other image-makers that have been trained through this program since 2010 to be effective storytellers, creative leaders, and changemakers. They are:
Aishwarya Arumbakkam, India
Asef Mohammad, Pakistan
Farzana Hossen, Bangladesh
Gabriella Báez Reyes, Puerto Rico
Jon Santiago, US
Nolan Ryan Trowe, US
Oscar Castillo, Venezuela
Shaima Al-Tamimi, Yemen/Qatar
Uma Bista, Nepal
Due to Covid-19, this year the Photography and Social Justice Program will be held remotely. We look forward to learning alongside these talented image-makers as we develop new frameworks for remote collaboration. We hope that this experience and the outcomes will be deeply constructive for our own capacity to continue supporting a globally dispersed network, as well as for the broader field.
In partnership with the City University of New York's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, fellows will receive specialized training on new approaches to socially engaged documentary practice through an intensive online curriculum led by Fred Ritchin, Dean Emeritus of the International Center of Photography (ICP) School. They’ll also receive production grants as well as individual and group mentorship over several months from Magnum photographers Newsha Tavakolian and Sohrab Hura.
This program is made possible by the generous support of the Open Society Foundations, Genevieve McMillan-Reba Stewart Foundation, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, Cultures of Resistance Network Foundation, and the Achelis and Bodman Foundations.
Aishwarya Arumbakkam is an Indian photographer who is based between Chennai and Austin, TX. She is interested in mythology, cultural narratives and conservation, and was led to photography from a background in design and filmmaking, which comes through in the aesthetics of her work.
Asef Ali Mohammad belongs to the Hazara community in Pakistan. His photography and film work attempt to better understand root causes of the socio-economic marginalisation and pervasive violence experienced by his people in the Pakistan/Afghanistan region.
Farzana Hossen is a photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her work speaks about human rights, gender inequality, oppression, and themes like uncertainty and loss. Farzana is a member of the Kaali Collective, alongside five other women photographers in Bangladesh.
Gabriella Báez Reyes is a documentary photographer and visual artist based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her work focuses on documenting intimate, raw subjects, like her father's death post-Hurricane María; the archives of her exiled Cuban family; and the correlation between sexuality and depression.
Jon Santiago is a photographer based in the Bronx, New York. He produces long-term projects that explore questions surrounding the environment, power dynamics, and community.
Nolan Ryan Trowe is an American documentarian focusing primarily on disability and themes such as family, masculinity, parenthood, sports, and human rights. Nolan’s approach to his subjects is informed by a dramatic shift in his view of the world when a spinal cord injury at the age of 23 left him disabled.
Oscar Castillo was born in Caracas, Venezuela and has lived in places from Switzerland to Haiti. His work centers on sociological themes to promote ideas of solidarity, tolerance, and respect, while questioning the structures of economic and political power. An important part of Oscar’s practice is also being an educator.
Shaima Al-Tamimi is a Yemeni-Kenyan visual storyteller based in Qatar. Her work is inspired by social and cultural issues reflective of her own personal story. She uses the mediums of photography, film, and writing to explore the patterns and impacts of migration, identity, and culinary culture.
Uma Bista is a photographer from Nepal. Currently she is working as a photojournalist at Annapurna Post, a leading daily newspaper in Nepal. In her personal practice, she creates visual narratives that focus on women’s issues in her community.