Judges
Courtesy of
Curtis Hughes
Faces of Humanity
Curtis Hughes
University of South Wales
Cardiff
United Kingdom
2nd
Curtis Hughes is a British social documentary and portrait photographer who looks to explore and question his own identity and belonging through connecting and collaborating with others. His work, which is often portrait-led, is an investigation of the psychological landscapes of both himself and those around him, seeking to understand the beautiful complexities of our human experience, relating to love, identity, and belonging. While examining and challenging societal conventions, his empathic and intimate relationships with his sitters allow him to gain deeper insights into the diverse mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical characteristics of human existence.
Modern Love
United Kingdom: Cardiff, Brighton and London. Germany: Berlin. Austria: Vienna. Hungary: Budapest. Turkey: Istanbul.
2022
The way people date and form relationships has significantly changed over the past few years due to online dating applications such as Tinder, Bumble, and OK Cupid. Such platforms have continued to rise in popularity, and it is estimated that in 2021, more than 38% of new relationships flowered through online dating. That figure is expected to rise to more than 45% by the end of 2023.
Working slowly and collaboratively, Modern Love offers an intimate gaze, casting light on couples in their homes across the UK and Europe and unveiling the delicate nature of love and connection. These portraits reflect the universality of love and how innovation and technology can bring people together both by their own relationships and with myself and the subjects, achieving genuine connections through compassionate and empathic exchanges and shared experiences of love and relationships.