honorable mention
Olga Stefatou qatar
title
Chrysalis
The refugee population in Greece is currently about 60,000; over half are women and children. During the past three years, 1.3 million people fleeing conflict and violence have traveled through Greece in search of safety. With the closure of the Balkan borders because of the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement in March 2016, the refugees are grounded in Greece. Many lost in the lack of a thorough legal and immigration policy plan, are forced to live in inhuman conditions.
Driven by the symbolism of the color gold, I repurposed the material of the foil emergency blanket to produce a unique new dress for each woman. All the dresses are created by the designer and visual artist Guram Chachanidze. Each one is an interpretation of women’s spirit, taking in consideration their cultural characteristics. In doing so, a material that has become synonymous with the refugee journey becomes a garment.
‘Chrysalis’ has the purpose of giving a moment to the refugee women to honor their feminine beauty such as mental, physical and emotionally. The term chrysalis refers to a nymph within its final transformative stage from larva to butterfly. It is a moment of great change for the species, still bodied in a golden cocoon and ready to unfold new wings.
In her personal work, Olga explores the idea of freedom and its connection to geopolitics, heritage and science. Her work has been exhibited worldwide in art venues.
Olga has travelled extensively in Asia, producing photography and video on humanitarian issues. Her work has been published in Der Spiegel, Amnesty International, Le Monde and Vanity Fair among others. In 2015 she participated in the pioneering project ‘Solar Impulse’ – the first attempt of solar flight around the world.
Olga obtained her Masters degree in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Bolton, UK based in Beijing, China.
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entry description
‘Chrysalis’ is a portrait series aiming to recognize and celebrate the individuality of refugee women currently located in Greece. Using visual language not often applied to the context of global refugee crises, these portraits draw out the experiences of five women coming from Syria, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. The sittings offer a physical space of their courageous expression in the shared destination of Athens.The refugee population in Greece is currently about 60,000; over half are women and children. During the past three years, 1.3 million people fleeing conflict and violence have traveled through Greece in search of safety. With the closure of the Balkan borders because of the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement in March 2016, the refugees are grounded in Greece. Many lost in the lack of a thorough legal and immigration policy plan, are forced to live in inhuman conditions.
Driven by the symbolism of the color gold, I repurposed the material of the foil emergency blanket to produce a unique new dress for each woman. All the dresses are created by the designer and visual artist Guram Chachanidze. Each one is an interpretation of women’s spirit, taking in consideration their cultural characteristics. In doing so, a material that has become synonymous with the refugee journey becomes a garment.
‘Chrysalis’ has the purpose of giving a moment to the refugee women to honor their feminine beauty such as mental, physical and emotionally. The term chrysalis refers to a nymph within its final transformative stage from larva to butterfly. It is a moment of great change for the species, still bodied in a golden cocoon and ready to unfold new wings.
about the photographer
Olga Stefatou is a Greek independent photographer and photography specialist at Qatar museums.In her personal work, Olga explores the idea of freedom and its connection to geopolitics, heritage and science. Her work has been exhibited worldwide in art venues.
Olga has travelled extensively in Asia, producing photography and video on humanitarian issues. Her work has been published in Der Spiegel, Amnesty International, Le Monde and Vanity Fair among others. In 2015 she participated in the pioneering project ‘Solar Impulse’ – the first attempt of solar flight around the world.
Olga obtained her Masters degree in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Bolton, UK based in Beijing, China.
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