Award photo competition „LET DIVERSITY CLICK!“

Award of the photo competition "LET DIVERSITY CLICK"

Social diversity in expressive photos

From Ann-Kathrin Landzettel

“What does diversity represent for you?” – this question was answered from students of the TU Darmstadt and h_da Darmstadt in the context of the photo competition “LET DIVERSITY CLICK – for an open society”.


Prize winners of the photo competition

The jury was spoilt for choice with 76 transmittals, which were all presented in the side wing of the Mensa, among these also digital edited graphical materials.

With the photo competition as well as the award the department Intercultural affairs celebrated 5 years of the Intercultural Tutors Team (ITT) and the completion of the project “Vielfalt leben – vom Ihr zum WIR” (“Diverse living – from the to US”) that was funded from the foundation Mercator for three years. “Many good photos were submitted. It wasn’t easy to make a selection. Our jury has thought for quite a while and the decision wasn’t easy”, was said from Ursula Lemmertz, head of the department Counselling and Social affairs. “Part of the jury were Christina Wendt, project leader of the Studium+M, Louisa Frenzel, who coordinates the Intercultural Tutors Team, Hendrik Hamelau from the department public relations and graphic designer Bernd Lehmler, who accompanied the photo competition.”


The presented photos in the Otto-Berndt-Halle delighted many visitors.

Lis Martin Neves de Oliveira was happy to receive the first prize (350 € prize money). Her photography shows a young girl with dark skin, who is holding a barbie doll. “This photo was shot in Jardim Gramacho in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.” Besides the expressive presentation, the jury liked the critical view on the disequilibrium between diversity and representation. “Brazil is probably the most diverse country of the world. Here are different religions, cultures, sexes, sexualities and skin colours. And although the society is mixed so multicoloured, Brazil is still dominated from a white, male and Christian “majority””, the winner of the photo competition explains.

The second prize (300 € prize money) was won from Lea Sahm. The photography of the student shows a snap shot at a flea market. A man has set out different cameras and binoculars at his stand and explains the function of the devices to interested people. This picture clarifies how important it is for an open society to zoom in, in order to get a picture of the fellow men and not to hastily draw a conclusion. “The photo was made during a vacation in London. I think that open speaking, explaining and listening should be part of an open society. And that every human should be listened to – no matter which background the human has”, Lea Sahm says. Besides the interpretation with regards to content, the jury praised the conversion: “Diversity” as well as “click” are shown in the work of Lea Sahm.

Two third prizes (each 200 €) were given to Friedrich Großmann and Kiplimo Kibet. The black and white photographie from Friedrich Großmann shows different faces, which are enframed by citations, among these: Diversity. The Art of Thinking Independently Together. “The citations should display, what humanity would miss in a in unison society and that first diversity helps humans on. Just through diversity of the humans and their opinions a together can arise, develop further and exist”, the student explains his picture.

Kiplimo Kibet has prepared fruit differently for his photography: In three jars mush, layered and mixed fruit are shown. His picture is an abstract presentation of the society and poses the question, how one would like to handle difference: Is it separated, integrated or do we a pabulum? “The picture should invite to a lively argument about ways of living, assimilation, segregation, integration, inclusion, hierarchies, layers, individuality and homogeneity. In what kind of society would we like to live?, Kiplimo Kibet asks.

Three fourth prizes (each 150 €) were awarded to Jan Terwolbeck, Alessia De Filippi and Marko Fischer. Jan Terwolbeck shows in his photo “Same same but different” a selection of strawberries. “Besides the classic diversity in the human context I reflected, where we face diversity in our daily life without directly attracting attention or one starts thinking about it. As it is strawberry time, I had to think about how different all strawberries are. This also applies for every other fruit and vegetable. In the supermarkets usually only the “beautiful” products, which fit the norm, are sold – although products, which do not fit the norm, also taste good. Also these fruit and vegetable should be acknowledged. Just as every human differs from others and deserves social acknowledgement”, the student explains the idea for his photography.

In the photography of an eye Alessia De Filippi included different letters from different languages. In the pupil the earth can be seen. With her work the student would like to show that there is the need of a more exact consideration to be able to live without prejudgments and drawers in an open society.

The photography from Marko Fischer shows several hands, which are braiding a ribbon. Together much can be achieved.

An exceptional prize (100 €) was awarded to Erman Böcek. The Jury recognized the exceptional way, how the topic was interpreted. His picture takes a critical look at the topic of diversity: A shelf with different kind of chips and a beach polluted with garbage can be seen. With his picture the student would like to show that we live in a society, which is highly stamped from our effort to express individuality through consumption. The negative consequences are not necessarily felt here, but are dumped at some other place. “In the end todays constant necessity to an open presented individuality, the always new consumption of the newest – main thing it is different – leads to a diversification because of pure end in itself. Diversity just to not be ‘equal’ ”, Erman Böcek explains his picture.

The ITT exceptional prize (100 €) was given to Saad Ur Rehmann. In his photographie the Intercultural Tutors Team is seen at an excursion. Everyone in the group is holding a phone, which displays the flag of their home country. “The students are from different countries, have different cultures, belong to different religions and speak different languages. They all came together for studying and rejoice in a multicultural society”, the student says.

 

Further impressions from the award

 

 

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