The winner of the Open call “Project selection by Jérôme Sessini” Martin Miklas will exhibit his project “A Journey of The Fish” during Trieste Photo Days 2024 festival. His project was chosen by the great Magnum photographer among a total of 175 submissions,
Here are Jérôme’s words describing his final choice:
“Honestly, it was difficult to find the winner. Even for the second and the third place: the quality was very very high, very good. Both their works are very interesting, but Martin’s project to me was the one that surprised me the most. First, for the subject. Because, starting from the sardine, the fish, and say: “Ok, why is he going to tell me about the sardine?”, he managed to tell me something that I have never thought about…”
If you are looking for a unique and compelling story about the fishing industry in Portugal, you should look no further than the story of the sardines. It is a story of tradition, struggle and hope in the face of adversity. It’s a story that is unique to Portugal, but one that has universal relevance in today’s world.
Journey of the Fish became also my own journey in the sardines’ pathway exploring all the aspects along the way from south to north and east of Portugal as well as from history through presence looking up towards the future.
The Sardines fishing industry in Portugal has a rich history dating back centuries. It has been an important source of livelihood for many coastal communities and a staple food source for many people. However, in the 20th century, the industry began to modernize and expand, leading to overfishing and the depletion of sardine stocks. This has had significant social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts on the communities that rely on the fishery. The decline of sardine stocks has led to a decline in the number of jobs in the fishing industry, causing economic hardship for many coastal communities and a loss of traditional knowledge and skills related to sardine fishing.
The story of Sardines fishing industry in Portugal is a story of how modernization, overfishing and disregard for the environment can have dire consequences on the local communities and the ecosystem. But it is also a story of resilience and hope, as the local communities and authorities are working together to revive the industry in a sustainable way. It allows you to dive deep into the fascinating story and explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Sardines fishing industry in Portugal.
About the winning author
Martin Miklas is an award-winning Lisbon based conceptual documentary and fine-art photographer, visual storyteller and a master of “deepest darks”, from Bratislava.
The slovakian photographer takes great interest in important subjects such as climate change and its side effects on marine biodiversity. His lenses are focused on the negative impact global warming has on the fishing industry, particularly from a socio-economical and ecological point of view.
Instagram: miklas.photo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/martin.miklas
Honorable mentions
Two other shortlisted authors have greatly impressed Jérôme Sessini with their work:
Franco Buoncristiani with the reportage Grand Hotel Metropoliz and Umberto Verdoliva with his project La cantata dei giorni dispari (The ballad of odd days).
Instagram: franco.buoncristiani65
Instagram: uverdoliva
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