Judges
WINNER
Courtesy of Sergei Stroitelev
Sergei Stroitelev
Sergei Stroitelev is a freelance photographer and visual artist based in Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
After working as a human rights lawyer for five years, Sergei decided to change profession and delve deeper into photography which has always been his main passion. Sergei has also considered photography as the best tool to raise awareness about the issues. In 2014 he graduated from Photofaculty at the Union of Journalists of Saint-Petersburg with the work dedicated to the Maidan revolution in Kiev, which he was documenting for 3 months.
Since that time, Sergei works with National Geographic Russia, VICE UK/USA, De Volkskrant, Takie Dela. He also cooperates with a number of NGO in the South-East Asia region, such as the Red Cross and Doctors of the World.
Sergei's photographic practice primarily focuses on the exploration of the issues of modern society. With the help of different visual languages and forms, he looks at the problems of identity of minorities, gender, health and racial prejudice, ecology, and consumerism.
He often executes very personal photographic projects exploring his very own inner demons, past, and family.Sergei also teaches photography at Fotografika academy in Saint- Petersburg. His course "Photography without stereotypes" is dedicated to the development of creative thinking.
Am I not scared anymore?
About 55,000 cases of breast cancer are identified in Russia every year - that's a lot. There are stories of thousands of women hidden behind statistics and numbers who fight this disease every day.
In the project "Am I not scared anymore?" brave women tell their stories and share thoughts about what happened to them. They also pose for a portrait in a way they feel comfortable and in the image, which defines their emotional state.
The diagnosis and following post-surgery processes transformed their personality - they changed their attitude towards themselves, their femininity, time, and priorities. These beautiful girls found the inner strength to struggle with their fears.
The project is a powerful message to all patients who couldn't accept themselves after mastectomy. Moreover, it is a message to society at large. A naked woman's body with scars is taboo in Russia where mastectomy is considered something shameful, ugly. "If you have been operated on, don't show your body to anyone,": people say. The present project is to fight the taboo, beauty cliches, and stereotypical perception of a woman's body.