Woo.
This passion I have for travel, culture and street photography whilst ultimately combining this with serving a universal message (to raise awareness) has been answered thanks to the
Victoria & Albert Museum. Thank you so much for this
unexpected announcement!
I'm enlightened by Marta Weiss' write up and believe she has explained so very well exactly what had been captured in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala - India; a beautiful mountain town with positive Buddhist vibes - home of The Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan community (most of whom are in exile) and the people of India themselves. Her message:
"This photograph makes great use of composition and colour. The girl in the pink dress fits perfectly in the triangular space formed by the woman and the bamboo pole. In the midst of this visually complex scene, the orderly pile of bricks on the woman's head echoes the brick wall above and the window panes at the right. In terms of colour, the image is split in two between the vibrancy of the left side and the limited palette of the right half, with the black-and-white cow and the Tibet mural. This reinforces the contrast between the woman's exertions and the sedentary animal."
There are several messages in this photo that I wanted to deliver. Firstly; the obvious, being the freedom of Tibet and its struggles in gaining its full freedom (and also emphasising Tibet's good relations with India), and secondly; the role of a woman in India - the hardship she must deal with depending on level of class... those being the main messages. And amongst those main ones, various other messages conveyed; the colours of India, the Hindu sacred cow freely roaming the streets but sits in this photo so peacefully, India's exposure to various religions and people, its lack of laws/rules in contrast to the Western world, the complexities of India, the mixed messages stemmed from India itself (if you have visited/manage to visit India, you will know) etc. The list can go on. This is ultimately a photo for the viewer to arrange their own perceptions on.
The "Free Tibet" image was actually painted onto this white wall by a young Tibetan resident of Mcleod Ganj. Their energy and passion to fight for their independence inspires me.
I recall waiting for the hardworking Indian woman to place the bricks on her head and stand up; this exhausting job she must perform contrasts her eloquence and no-fuss manner in doing so.
Admirable Strength. I also waited for her child to be exposed and the cow...? Well, she was just peacefully resting there in her comfortable praised Indian world.
Absolutely enthused, I haven't given much thought to the winning prize yet. However, I know very well that the camera will become another one of my beloved third eyes (having only recently just purchased one after my last gem of a camera had broken on my previous travels - an empty time where I'd felt deeply lost!).
This photo along with many others is a special one for me as it captures a memory of an unforgettable journey; a great learning experience. Thanks, Martha.. she's really managed to edit/change the way its been captured as I lack the technical know-how...grateful! Always adoring the unexpected (hence, the love of street photography). x
"...I like the indefinite, the boundless, I like continual uncertainty" as Gerhard Richter had so nicely explained.
PS. If you haven't already, the
Light from the Middle East exhibition is most definitely worth a look. Not only is it free, it emanates Middle Eastern messages in artistic form - plus also led me to finding out about this competition. Thanks again!
I was reminded how awesome cultures are in developing such deep and meaningful products that reflect their skills, surroundings and nature and carry history, stories and messages. To me, it also sadly emphasised the loss of such intricate detail as we reside and follow the pattern of a heavy consumerist culture which often concludes that fast, cheap and artificial production dominates our shopping and general life behaviour. 
