The World Press Photo Foundation is proud to announce the results of the second cycle of the 6x6 Global Talent Program in North and Central America. Selected from 74 nominees from 10 different countries, the six visual storytellers are:
Selection committee
Nominations for visual storytellers from North and Central America were made by the international community of
6x6 nominators. From the nominees’ submitted portfolios, a selection committee picked six visual storytellers – three men and three women – to join the pool of 6x6 talents from around the world.
The online selection committee comprised:
Nadia Huggins, Trinidad and Tobago, visual artist and co-founder of ARC Magazine;
Lissette Lemus, El Salvador, photojournalist;
Brent Lewis, United States, photo editor and co-founder of Diversify Photo;
Rodrigo Orrantia, United Kingdom/Colombia, art historian and curator specialized in photography; and
Émilie Régnier, Canada/Haiti, artist and photographer.
Nominator quotes
On nominating
Aaron Vincent Elkaim, Heidi Romano, independent artist, curator, design consultant, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“Aaron Vincent Elkaim uses storytelling and photojournalism to address critical issues. Through his work, he documents how the traditional communities are connected to their land.”
On nominating
Dieu Nalio Chery, Ritayan Mukherjee, independent photographer, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“When I first saw Dieu Nalio Chery’s work on Haiti's unrest the pictures were so hard-hitting it blew my mind. [...] He is not only a brilliant photographer but also a courageous one. Talents like him deserve more exposure.”
On nominating
Gabriela Téllez, Joana Toro, photographer, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“Gabriela Téllez’s work is especially sensible for color and places, making her photography unique and rich in texture. Téllez found her voice by documenting the situations in her country. Her work is not well-known outside of Costa Rica. Cases such as Téllez’s are evidence of a reality that desperately needs solutions: women photographers in Central America need tools to build and project their narratives.”
On nominating
Lisette Poole, Romina Resuche, curator, journalist, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“Lisette Poole focuses on the experiences during an investigation. She uses photography, words, atmospheres to make not just pictures, but make people travel, sharing without judgment.”
On nominating
Luis Antonio Rojas, Mariceu Erthal García, documentary and visual storyteller, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“The photography of Luis Antonio Rojas emerges from the everyday and takes us to unheard reflections. From its beginnings, he has stood out for its proximity to the people he portrays and his pictorial compositions.”
On nominating
Rosem Morton, Jashim Salam, photographer, photo editor, educator, and 6x6 nominator, said:
“Rosem Morton’s pictures are autobiographical in nature. [...] Her crafty and sensitive visual storytelling approach makes her work very powerful. I believe these important stories need to be part of a large platform and prompt meaningful conversations that help positive changes.”
Prizes
In addition to exhibition opportunities, the work of the six talents will also be published and shared on the World Press Photo Foundation’s platforms, including a feature on our online magazine Witness for each of the talents. The 6x6 talents also receive an automatic nomination for World Press Photo’s prestigious
Joop Swart Masterclass.
The last region of the second cycle, Asia, will open for nominations on 17 September.
