honorable mention
Louise Amelie Müller Aljaž Fuis germany
title
SOLE HARLEM
During her stay in the United States, 2016 - 2017, she created the comprehensive photo series SOLE HARLEM. The young photographer took an in-depth look at the residents of New York‘s Harlem district and documented their urban habitat and the diversity of the district, pointing out the uniqueness of Harlem and its residents. The work, which was also published as a book, was awarded with the German Photo Book Prize 18/19. The photograph „Woman In Blue“ from this series was included in the collection „Portrait Of Humanity“ jointly published by Magnum Photos and the British Journal Of Photography in 2019. In addition, SOLE HARLEM has been exhibited and presented internationally.
In December 2020, she published her second book „OFF WORLDS“ in collaboration with the German photo book publisher Kettler. The image „Morning Coffee“, which is part of the book and the series of the same name, was once again awarded with the Portrait of Humanity 2021 prize and the German Photo Book Prize 20/21 . In addition, it was selected as the winning photo book of the Belfast Photo Festival 2021. „OFF WORLDS“ deals with the peripheries of the U.S. American society. The photos in the book portray more than a mere geographic separation from society. They capture a systemic or perceived isolation which is frequently transformed into a statement of independence, pride and liberty.
Since 2021, she has been developing her new project, which deals with migration in Central Asia. Supported and funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and Phase One, she worked for 2.5 months in Kyrgyzstan. The as yet unpublished body of work is to be exhibited internationally alongside another book in the spring of 2023.
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entry description
SOLE HARLEM is the result of a one-year stay in America, in which the two photographers - Louise Amelie and Aljaž Fuis - begin their semester abroad in 2016 and decide to interrupt their academic career in order to concentrate fully on documenting the Harlem neighborhood. Originally from Germany, Louise Amelie and Aljaž Fuis provide an insight into the electric neighborhood of Harlem in the upper side of New York City by spending extensive months immersing themselves with the people of Harlem, its streets, its shops, the ways of living, and how Harlem seems to be worlds apart from the rest of Manhattan. From living in shared apartments with Harlem natives, to meeting them in the ever pulsating streets of this district, to simply waiting around in the corner laundromat, the photographers are not only driven by the controversial history of Harlem but also by the present days of this area. A year and a half later, they present a series with a timeless character - photographed completely in medium format - as part of their bachelor thesis. SOLE HARLEM is an honest observation from the outside looking into Harlem and its residents where the photographers aim to capture something intangible: the locals ideals and their view on this ever changing part of Manhattan with an intent on giving the viewers an unbiased insight into the lives, worries and dreams of their main characters.about the photographer
Louise Amelie (born 1991 in Berlin) is a Berlin-based photographer whose artistic focus is on documentary and street photography.During her stay in the United States, 2016 - 2017, she created the comprehensive photo series SOLE HARLEM. The young photographer took an in-depth look at the residents of New York‘s Harlem district and documented their urban habitat and the diversity of the district, pointing out the uniqueness of Harlem and its residents. The work, which was also published as a book, was awarded with the German Photo Book Prize 18/19. The photograph „Woman In Blue“ from this series was included in the collection „Portrait Of Humanity“ jointly published by Magnum Photos and the British Journal Of Photography in 2019. In addition, SOLE HARLEM has been exhibited and presented internationally.
In December 2020, she published her second book „OFF WORLDS“ in collaboration with the German photo book publisher Kettler. The image „Morning Coffee“, which is part of the book and the series of the same name, was once again awarded with the Portrait of Humanity 2021 prize and the German Photo Book Prize 20/21 . In addition, it was selected as the winning photo book of the Belfast Photo Festival 2021. „OFF WORLDS“ deals with the peripheries of the U.S. American society. The photos in the book portray more than a mere geographic separation from society. They capture a systemic or perceived isolation which is frequently transformed into a statement of independence, pride and liberty.
Since 2021, she has been developing her new project, which deals with migration in Central Asia. Supported and funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and Phase One, she worked for 2.5 months in Kyrgyzstan. The as yet unpublished body of work is to be exhibited internationally alongside another book in the spring of 2023.
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