honorable mention
Maria Contreras Coll spain
title
Journey To Impurity
In rural areas, women are cast away for a week, a practice known as Chhaupadi Partha. Some are forced to live among the wild stock to please the gods. When they are on their period they are not allowed to enter their houses, visit the temples or cook. Sometimes, they are not even allowed to look or talk to any male relative. “I don’t feel impure or untouchable. I can’t believe that is going to happen every month in my life.” confessed Surekha, from the Achham district, on her first menstruation.
Although these restrictions have existed for decades, Nepali society is changing rapidly, with Western influence brought by widespread access to new technologies, steadily becoming more and more present in the everyday lives of its inhabitants. In August 2017, for the first time in the history, the country criminalized the isolation of the menstrual women with a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone that forces a woman to follow the custom. In Kathmandu, a new generation of young people are reinventing traditions, making them their own. Some women from the rural areas have started to question these practices and becoming activists. A growing number of them lead organisations and are empowering young girls in rural areas and teaching them about hygiene.
Maria Contreras Coll (1991, Barcelona, Spain) is a documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Barcelona, Spain.
Maria became interested in photography at the age of 14 when she was given her first digital camera. She decided to study a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in Photography at the University of Barcelona (2010-2014). During those years, she investigated the concept of happiness, unrealized dreams and people's hopes overwhelmed by the rush of urban life. Her documentary projects such as “Ah!” and “Persona” were exhibited at the Català Roca Golferichs center in 2013, and at the University of Barcelona in 2014.
After finishing her degree, she studied a postgraduate in Photojournalism (2015-2016) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona as a valedictorian. She spent the next year photographing intimate and personal aspects of the Refugee Crisis in Europe, traveling to affected areas such as Greece, France, Germany or Morocco. After that, she moved to Nepal in 2017 to work on a women’s rights project.
Since then, her work has been published in Aljazeera, Le Figaro or GEO Magazine among others. She has been a guest speaker at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and her work has been shown in places such as Getty Images Gallery in London or in the DocField Festival in Barcelona. Recently she’s been selected for the Women Photograph Mentorship 2017-2018 and to attend the XXXI Eddie Adams Workshop. She was nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass 2018-2019, and won the Click Grant 2017 to continue with her work in Nepal.
Maria is an enthusiastic and creative person. She has the need to tell people’s stories in a rigorous and well-investigated manner, capturing global problems such as the Refugee European Crisis from a very intimate and personal perspective. She is able to adapt to very different situations, always with
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entry description
The first menstruation is a turning point for every young women around the world. In Nepal, this entry into adulthood is tied to a loss of purity. According to the Hindu faith, is seen as punishment for all women. Even the Living Goddesses, young girls from the Newari cast who are worshipped as divine beings, must be replaced when they have their first menstruation.In rural areas, women are cast away for a week, a practice known as Chhaupadi Partha. Some are forced to live among the wild stock to please the gods. When they are on their period they are not allowed to enter their houses, visit the temples or cook. Sometimes, they are not even allowed to look or talk to any male relative. “I don’t feel impure or untouchable. I can’t believe that is going to happen every month in my life.” confessed Surekha, from the Achham district, on her first menstruation.
Although these restrictions have existed for decades, Nepali society is changing rapidly, with Western influence brought by widespread access to new technologies, steadily becoming more and more present in the everyday lives of its inhabitants. In August 2017, for the first time in the history, the country criminalized the isolation of the menstrual women with a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone that forces a woman to follow the custom. In Kathmandu, a new generation of young people are reinventing traditions, making them their own. Some women from the rural areas have started to question these practices and becoming activists. A growing number of them lead organisations and are empowering young girls in rural areas and teaching them about hygiene.
about the photographer
ABOUTMaria Contreras Coll (1991, Barcelona, Spain) is a documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Barcelona, Spain.
Maria became interested in photography at the age of 14 when she was given her first digital camera. She decided to study a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in Photography at the University of Barcelona (2010-2014). During those years, she investigated the concept of happiness, unrealized dreams and people's hopes overwhelmed by the rush of urban life. Her documentary projects such as “Ah!” and “Persona” were exhibited at the Català Roca Golferichs center in 2013, and at the University of Barcelona in 2014.
After finishing her degree, she studied a postgraduate in Photojournalism (2015-2016) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona as a valedictorian. She spent the next year photographing intimate and personal aspects of the Refugee Crisis in Europe, traveling to affected areas such as Greece, France, Germany or Morocco. After that, she moved to Nepal in 2017 to work on a women’s rights project.
Since then, her work has been published in Aljazeera, Le Figaro or GEO Magazine among others. She has been a guest speaker at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and her work has been shown in places such as Getty Images Gallery in London or in the DocField Festival in Barcelona. Recently she’s been selected for the Women Photograph Mentorship 2017-2018 and to attend the XXXI Eddie Adams Workshop. She was nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass 2018-2019, and won the Click Grant 2017 to continue with her work in Nepal.
Maria is an enthusiastic and creative person. She has the need to tell people’s stories in a rigorous and well-investigated manner, capturing global problems such as the Refugee European Crisis from a very intimate and personal perspective. She is able to adapt to very different situations, always with
back to gallery
