The prestigious international Istanbul Photo Awards competition, orchestrated by Anadolu, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a new exhibition inaugurated Monday in Brussels. This third exhibition is held at the SR Gallery and highlights this year’s award-winning photographs.
The photos on display capture powerful moments in world news. Among the topics illustrated, we find Israeli attacks in Palestine, the devastating earthquake in Türkiye, criminal networks in Mexico, refugee camps in Afghanistan, as well as plastic pollution in Nigeria. Harrowing images show elephants living in polluted environments in Sri Lanka.
In addition, video fans can discover photographs from the world swimming championships in Japan and Wimbledon, or even photos denouncing social discrimination in India and illustrating the maritime tragedies of migrants near the Spanish coast.
This year, the jury analyzed more than 20,000 works in various categories, including current affairs, sport, environment, portrait and daily life, rewarding 32 photographers in ten distinct categories.
The exhibition attracts many visitors, including Octavian Lazar, a Romanian hotel manager, and his wife, a painter, who were deeply touched by the works. “We were very impressed with everything related to art on the walls here. It’s incredible. Magnificent images,” he said.
Among the works exhibited, Mohammed Salem’s photograph, showing a Palestinian woman kissing the body of her niece, particularly moved Meliha Yesilot of the Turkish Maarif Foundation. “These photographs evoke different emotions in us, and it is difficult to control our emotions,” she expressed.
Sponsored by Turkcell and supported by Sony and Turkish Airlines among others, the competition continues to be a showcase of global events. For more information, enthusiasts can visit “istanbulphotoawards.com”.
