Waste ‧ Commission

2014/15 WYNG Masters Award WINNER and Commission Recipient Announced – WASTE

A study released by the United Nations in 2013 predicted that by 2017 the number of electronic equipment and appliances being disposed of will triple. Meanwhile, our modern ‘Throw Away’ society has contributed to the creation of the world’s most well known marine landfill – the Pacific Trash Vortex. Here in Hong Kong over 6 million tonnes of municipal waste is disposed of each year – a 20% increase over the past 10 years. This increase has occurred much faster than anyone expected, placing Hong Kong’s landfills under enormous pressure. Its three landfills are expected to be full by the end of this decade.

The WYNG Masters Award aims to nurture the growth of photography as an art form in Hong Kong, as well as to stimulate dialogue and foster community awareness on socially-relevant issues of critical importance to Hong Kong and its residents. Each year a focused theme is chosen for the award. The 2014/15 cycle is WASTE.

The WYNG Masters Award Exhibition kicked off its third cycle with the issue WASTE. Judges found this year’s quality of work was incredibly high and were so excited to see how the response from artists and creators has grown in sophistication and volume. The finalists’ works represent a great variety of perspectives, some playful, some raw, some demanding awareness and knowledge of issues on waste.

The award has a mission of highlighting a social issue and stimulating dialogue within the community. Guest of Honour Secretary for the Environment Mr. Wong Kam Sing and WYNG Masters Award Theme Judge Dr. Vivian Wong, Chairman of Friends of Earth Hong Kong both shared their perspectives on the theme and the work they have been doing on the issue.

A panel of renowned industry leaders in photography, art, publishing, and non-profit including Zoher Abdoolcarim, Abby Chen, Jehan Chu, Louise Clements, Frank Kalero, Christopher Phillips and Dr Vivian Wong picked out this year’s winning works – E-Life by Albert Bonsfills. The winner of the award would be receiving $250,000 as a cash award, and finalists would also receive $15,000.

The WMA Commission seeks to engage image makers to further provide unique and in depth perspectives to the yearly theme of social significance, to further extend the public awareness and knowledge of the issues. According to one of the panelists of the WMA Commission Mr. Fung Ho Yin Associate Professor School of Design, HK Polytechnic University said over 70 proposals were received for the WMA Commission and the competition was fierce. The Commission Panel comprising of Dr. Charles Merewether, Dr. Anthony Ng and himself interviewed the finalists who all had very impressive proposals. Ultimately one collective was chosen –Tres Art Collective from Mexico. They will be coming to Hong Kong this year and it is hoped they will have a chance to exchange ideas with the public on their interpretation of the issue in Hong Kong.

The upcoming theme of the WYNG Masters Award will be IDENTITY and details would be announced in early June 2015.

BIOS OF WINNING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

WYNG Masters Award Winner – Mr. Albert Bonsfills

Albert Bonsfills was born in Barcelona in 1982. He studied photography at the Institute of Photographic Studies of Catalonia (IEFC).

Currently living between China and Barcelona, Albert focuses his work on unique and intimate stories that often go unnoticed, aiming to show how society is through documentary photography, and using documentary as a tool for reflection and to support the struggle for human rights. In an effort to understand the people he photographs more deeply, as part of his approach, Albert tries to discern their dreams and the things that make them cling to life.

Albert was selected for the 4th Lumix Festival for Young Photojournalism and was nominated for both Magnum Foundation’s Emergency Fund and the Joop Swart Masterclass in 2014. His work has been awarded the Premio Internazionale ON THE MOVE (2013) and the Renaissance Prize (2013). In 2011, he received a grant for young Catalan photojournalists to continue his work in Eastern China.

Albert’s works have been selected amongst the finalists in several contests and festivals and have been published, projected and exhibited in India, USA, Spain, Italy, Russia, France and the United Kingdom.

WMA Commission Recipient- TRES ART COLLECTIVE

TRES is conformed as a collective art group in 2009 (Mexico City) with the initiative of the visual artist Ilana Boltvinik (National School of the Art, Mexico City + Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Netherlands + currently undergoing her PhD on Social Sciences and Humanities at the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, UAM); the photographer Rodrigo Viñas (Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, UCSJ, Mexico City, + member of the alternative photographic Workshops, Mexico City + currently undergoing his masters in Visual Arts at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, UNAM); and by the artist and producer Mariana Mañón (UCSJ, Coordinator and assistant director of the Museum SAPS, Mexico City).

TRES has focused on exploring the implications of public space and garbage through artistic practices that concentrate on the methodological intertwining and dialogue with science, anthropology, and archaeology among other disciplines. Of particular interest has been the inquiry on the subject of garbage as a physical and conceptual residue that entails political and material implications. Since 2009 TRES has worked with different qualities that shape garbage. Its mobility {in the project A Cluster of Oblivion}, its spatial traits {in Blind Spots}, its symbolic value {in An Informal Gaze}, its aesthetics {in the book Desechos Reservados}, and its intimacy {in All the Shines is Gold}, amid others.Their works have been shown as a group in Metropolis Biennale 2009 (Denmark), the public art section of the 25 Festival of Mexico City FMCH (Mexico City), in the Amsterdam Global City #2: Mexico, WCA World Cinema (Netherlands), ViBGYOR International Film Festival (India), Festival TransitioMX_05 Bio mediations, Cultural Center of Spain, Mexico City among others. Individually their works have been shown in over 20 screenings and art exhibitions in Latin America and Europe.

Ilana Boltvinik, Mariana Mañón, Rodrigo Viñas http://www.tresartcollective.com