American photographer Michele Zousmer wins the TPD Best Author Edilimpianti Prize 2025, a prestigious recognition awarded by Edilimpianti as part of the 12th edition of Trieste Photo Days.
Zousmer was honoured for her project MIS[S]UNDERSTOOD, which explores the central role of women within the Irish Traveller community, giving voice and dignity to a social group often marginalised. Through an intimate and respectful visual language, the photographer sheds light on the strength, grace, and resilience of these women, challenging the stereotypes and prejudices still deeply rooted in Irish society.
The project, previously selected by Matt Black for the Gazes on Existence Special Prize, stands out for its documentary depth and powerful emotional resonance, in line with the vision of the American photographer, who was the festival’s Guest of Honour.
MIS[S]UNDERSTOOD was also featured in a solo exhibition at Enoteca L’Angolo di Rocco, one of the festival’s partner venues. The opening event, attended by the artist and Matt Black, was one of the most significant moments of the 2025 edition, reaffirming Trieste Photo Days’ ability to build bridges between visual languages, people, and places across the city.
Located in Via Tarabocchia, L’Angolo di Rocco is not just a wine bar but a piece of Trieste’s history brought back to life. Born from the transformation of Nereo Rocco’s former family butcher shop, which had been closed for 26 years, the space was revitalized through a project by Edil Group, which preserved its original identity while transforming it into a new cultural meeting point.
The TPD Best Author Edilimpianti Award and its accompanying exhibition thus mark an ever-stronger connection between photography, business, and the local community, promoting cultural value and urban regeneration. Through Michele Zousmer’s gaze, the exhibition becomes an opportunity to reflect on universal themes such as identity, belonging, and resilience; a dialogue between memory and contemporaneity, where every story finds its space to be seen and shared.
Michele Zousmer is a humanitarian photographer drawn to the human experience. Her work seeks fleeting moments of grace and beauty in lives lived amid profound challenges. Her images amplify the voices of individuals and communities often marginalized by society. Through her lens, she becomes a storyteller, an advocate, and a vessel for change. She invites viewers to join her on this journey as she illuminates the threads of lives that weave us all together. Her work exemplifies the transformative power of photography.
Website: michelezousmer.com
