Community, interculturality, hope and mixed race populations, are the subjects awarded prizes in Africa Focus

Two images on Haiti that represent hope and the feeling of community, a photograph that portrays the dialogue of equality of conditions and another on the mixed race of the cultures, have been the winners of the  Africa Focus Photography Competition, organised by Casa África to continue publicising the positive aspects of Africa and its people. In this second edition, the theme focuses on African descendants and African diaspora.

Casa África had a jury composed of three photography and art professionals: Teresa Correa, artist and anthropological photographer; Cristina R. Court, in charge of the Research Laboratory for the Atlantic Centre of Modern Art and  Arcadio Suárez, photographer.

Contemplación, by Josué Azor, taken during the celebration of a voodoo ritual in Haiti, is the photograph that won first prize. The three members of the jury agreed that it portrays the positive value of the communal bond during difficult times.

The second prize went to the photograph Back ToThe Roots, by Milton Gulli, which portrays an instant in a mask workshop in Paris. The jury valued the "in symmetry"  dialogue the image shows, where the two figures speak the same language.

Another picture taken in Haiti was awarded the third prize. Marcando caminos, by Natalia Quiroga, shows the new Haitian generation's hope through education.

The last picture selected by the jury is titled One Love. It deals with the main subjects of mixed race populations and maternity, Empar Piera portrays a mother and her child, who is half Argentinian and half Senegalese.

As well as the images selected by the jury a fifth prize was chosen by popular vote on Blog África Vive. Of the more than 6,800 votes received, the winning photograph with 628 votes was Afrovenezolanidad Urbana, by Edgar Carmona and will be be given the prize of another pack of African art catalogues.