Irina Werning Awarded the 44th Annual W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography
The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund is delighted to announce Irina Werning (Argentina) as the recipient of this year’s $30,000 W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for her project, Las Pelilargas. Since 2006, Ms. Werning has been in pursuit of and capturing images of women in Argentina with long hair, a fashion influenced by a fusion of South American cultures and indigenous traditions.
The W. Eugene Smith Grant will enable Ms. Werning to conclude the final chapter of her extensive project and revisit the towns where it all began. There, she will chronicle the profound impact of globalization on local traditions while celebrating the resilience and beauty of their heritage. Ms. Werning’s project was selected from a record-breaking 448 entries, representing 68 countries – the highest number in the grant’s history. Since the Smith Fund’s establishment in 1979, it has granted over $1.3 million to photographers whose work aligns with the legacy of W. Eugene Smith as a photographic essayist.
“We continue to be astounded by the caliber of entries we receive annually and the diverse narratives photographers share with the world,” stated Scott Thode, president of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund. “The Smith Fund is thrilled for all the grant recipients this year and extends gratitude to our judges who meticulously evaluated the unprecedented 448 entries. We also express appreciation to our supporters, including The Leonian Foundation, without whom these annual grants in documentary photography would not be feasible,” added Mr. Thode.
“I received news of this year’s W. Eugene Smith Grant just as I was about to conclude this personal project due to a lack of funds!” exclaimed Irina Werning. “I believe photography has a responsibility to document conflict but also to capture the hope and beauty within humanity. The grant now affords me the opportunity to delve deeper into the story and address some of the questions that emerged throughout this 17-year journey,” she continued. “I am profoundly grateful for this honor.”
“Irina’s project, I believe, epitomizes the W. Eugene Smith legacy and the fund itself, which is a photographer’s dedication and persistence in pursuing the work over the years and against all odds,” explained Justyna Mielnikiewicz, one of this year’s Smith Grant judges and recipient of the 2016 Smith Grant. “But it’s also the personal attachment and responsibility a photographer takes for the people and places they document. Irina certainly demonstrated that in her project.”
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