For the ongoing project What We Remember, When We Remember, Ri asks their family and friends just one question: “When did you learn to hate or fear the military?”
Myanmar has been under military rule for more than 60 years. There was a brief period of democracy in the country’s history, but it didn’t last long. This project is a converging conversation between past and the present.
Exploring old memories from their education, propaganda, and entertainment set up by the military as they grew up, Ri uses archival imagery (photos and videos), original photographs, and collage visuals to explore the impact of nearly half a century of military rule on the country’s collective psyche.
Ri is a lens-based visual artist from Myanmar. Their masterclass project, What We Remember, When we Remember, is their personal account of life under military rule in Myanmar.
For the 28th edition of the Joop Swart Masterclass, we brought together 12 emerging photographers from around the world to develop a project, and develop the tools to make a viable career in photography.
The participants' developing projects cover a wide array of topics, from explorations of love amid war to the profound impact of conflict on people’s lives. Collectively, their work highlights the concerning state of the world and the resilience of communities and journalists worldwide.
Launched in 1994, the Joop Swart Masterclass is World Press Photo’s best-known educational program for emerging photographers, encouraging new and diverse approaches to photojournalism, documentary photography and visual storytelling. After a three-year hiatus, the Joop Swart Masterclass returns this year, with a focus on the MENA region, thanks to funding from the Porticus Foundation.
See more work by 2024 Joop Swart Masterclass participants here
