« Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

• Prize
  Silver in Press/Political, Gold in Press/Fashion
• Photographer
  Matei Focseneanu, Switzerland
• Website
  https://www.matfocs.com
• Instagram
  mat.focs

This project arose from a desire to give a voice to those located on the invisible margins of society - female inmates. To avoid a stigmatizing approach, my project invites these women to express themselves through a visual language, both corporal and oneiric, in stark contrast to penitentiary discretion: that of fashion photography.

Thus, this project aims at the visibilization of women inmates, which is heavily lacking today. By enabling an inner voice, which their bodies articulate through garments, I seek to reclaim and restore their self-image and identity.

I have always been fascinated by the garment, not only for its obvious aesthetic qualities, but also, and mainly, because of its remarkable implicit communicative capacities. Using photography as a medium, my ambition is to stage both humans and clothing in order to produce an oneiric visual language.

Awards 2019/11 : LensCulture 2019 Emerging Talent Awards
Press, fashion category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/11 : Budapest International Foto Awards, Golden winner
Editorial category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/6 : Paris PX3, Gold prize
Press, fashion category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/5 : Moscow International Foto Awards, Golden winner
Fashion editorial category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/5 : London International Creative Competition, Honorable mention
Student category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/4 : Fine Arts Photography Awards, Nominee
Fashion category, for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2019/1 : Tokyo International Foto Awards, Silver winner
Fashion editorial category for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2018/10 : IPA, International Photography Awards, 2nd place
Political editorial category for the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »

2018/10 : PhotogrVphy Magazine, Photography Grant Nominee
For the work « Ici c’est l’aquarium, dehors c’est l’océan »