The 2024 International Photo Jury is pleased to announce that Adolfo Mesías is the recipient of Special Jury Mention for his essay Through The Clouds And Among The Lonely Mountains.
"At over 4800 meters above sea level, in an almost extinct village where the border between Chile and Bolivia blurs, a silent Aymara family cultivates the land to survive. It is said that the last child was born over 25 years ago, and now, with fewer than seven inhabitants, their daughter must decide whether to continue the family tradition by staying to live in the village or leaves to live in the big city".
- Adolfo Mesías, 2024 Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition Special Jury Mention
Adolfo Mesías is a multidisciplinary image creator born in Santiago, Chile, whose work is driven by socio-political, ethnic, and environmental concerns. He graduated in filmmaking and photography practice, specializing in documentary photography and cinematography, having been part of the VII Academy and Master PhotoEspaña programs. The film projects he has been involved in have been showcased at international film festivals such as Cinema Du Reel, Dok Leipzig, Locarno, Fidocs, New York Latino Film Festival, and the Centre Pompidou in France. He worked as an international correspondent for SRF (Switzerland) in Chile and as a cinematographer for AJ+.
Mesías' goal is to raise awareness and understanding of socio-political issues through works that encourage viewers to reflect on the current state of society, aiming to foster support for social justice and positive change.
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Through The Clouds And Among The Lonely Mountains- Adolfo Mesías
The international jury is composed of three photographers: Irene Yee (USA) , Mattias Fredriksson (Sweden) and JoJo Das (Canada). To see more information about the jury members click here.
"Adolfo’s work spoke to me in a very interesting and powerful way, not through its volume, but through its absence: its silence. His photos narrated the story of a culture vanishing into the landscape behind it, prompting me to think about whether the disappearance of such heritage is the inevitable fate of human culture in a rapidly changing world. The images convey both a sense of loss for this way of life and beauty in preserving it before it is gone."
- Irene Yee, 2024 Jury
"Mesías's distinct and scaled-down black-and-white photography gives these images of life in a remote Andes mountain town a raw, documentary feel that undoubtedly speaks to the viewer."
- Mattias Fredriksson, 2024 Jury
"Human emotion is one of the few elements that easily overcomes language and culture barriers. Even without reading Adolfo's words that accompanied this essay, one can see and feel the sense of uncertainty, grit, resignation, and strength. This photo essay illustrates beautifully what can be left behind as the world marches ever "forwards", and that for some, this way of life is worth preserving".
- JoJo Das, 2024 Jury