/ 2026 / Portraiture / Culture

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Denys Kutsevalov, Singapore
• Date of Photograph
  2025
• Studio
  Nomads.Wtf

For the Dayak people, Hudoq is not merely a cultural performance but an expression of gratitude to nature and ancestors for abundant harvests. Hudoq means “spirit mask” in the Dayak language, symbolizing spirits and deities who protect crops. The Hudoq dancers are believed to act as mediums of communication between humans and guardian spirits of nature. Through this celebration, the Dayak people remind us of the importance of gratitude, and living in harmony with the environment. It’s especially relevant today when rainforest of Borneo is under constant threat from extracting industries.

Denys Kutsevalov is a Ukrainian award-winning documentary photographer, explorer of connections between people, cultures and the environment