Mirrow. Women Building a Sustainable Future

Third Prize: Karina Bikbulatova

Mirror. Women building a sustainable future

© Karina Bikbulatova

Author Name: Karina Bikbulatova

Author Location: Moscow, Russian Federation

Author Background: My name is Karina Bikbulatova. I was born in 1995 in Russia, in the city of Ufa. In 2017, I graduated from the Moscow University of Culture, where I studied at the course of photography. I am also a finalist and winner of many international photography competitions and awards.I started my studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence in 2017. In 2020, I returned to Russia to translate new ideas into creativity

Submission Statement: Rose was born into a Muslim family, she had a kind heart and many scars. Her father often beat her. She had no mirrors, she hated her reflection. Waking up early in the morning Rose used to lie in the bed for hours because she was afraid to move and wake her sister up. She knew every crack and dot in the ceiling. Her sister could beat her without any fault. The fear of being in Rose's place prevailed in her, and she chose to be strong and cruel, like their father was. Even a child can step on the dark side if he constantly lives in darkness, without knowing kindness. And only a few manage to keep the Light inside themselves. Even when it seems that there is no light, it is always there. Because we create the Light within ourselves.

Comments from the judges:

Karen Dias: “Love the experimental approach, composition and settings in this series. Enjoyed the starkness and minimalism in the portraiture.”

Katie Jett Walls: “Beautful and engaging conceptualizations of the emotional life of the subject - arresting compositions with unsettling elements that attest to the precariousness of Rosa's life.”

Molly Roberts: “I was moved by the strong storytelling of this series. The use of black and white, the conceptual constuctions and the stark compositions added to the power of the overall series.”