Photo contest “Postcards from Paris” – The Winners

Postcards from Paris ’15/’16 photo contest – The Winners

(February 11, 2016)
Here we are! Let’s reveal who takes the spot in the open photographic competition Inexhibit magazine organized to support the museum in Paris (and indirectly all places which preserve beauty and knowledge worldwide), after the November 13th terrorist attacks had led to their temporary closure for security reasons.

When violence hit culture nobody can feel actually safe, because if terrorism impairs our quest for beauty and knowledge, we all lose our freedom.
And, despite the prizes of the free competition were accordingly modest and the competition period short, we are very happy of the many entries received. We are sorry we were forced to do not admit some among the images submitted, usually not because of their quality but for being out-of-theme.

52 photos were admitted to the final round of the competition, they came from Italy (37), the Unites States (5), Canada, Israel, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

TOP 5 – THE WINNERS
The Top 5 photographs were selected taking in account an ensemble of criteria which included expressiveness, originality, composition, and technical quality; we took in a particular account the capability to express the theme of the competition, namely the idea of museums as open, accessible places, where beauty and knowledge are protected and shared.

The winning images are listed in alphabetical order by author’s name.

Alfredo Aleandri – Musée du Louvre
The “Pyramid” entrance space of the Louvre is marked by its helical staircase rendered as a dynamic sign in the middle of the photo, a powerful depiction capable to pull the viewer into the galleries of the most famous and portrayed museum in Paris.

Matteo Fusaro – Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
The image is composed by three parallel layers: the figure seating in the dark, the girl watching the exhibition, and the window through which the Eiffel Tower appears. An articulate portrayal which well represents the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.

Michele Seghezzi – Les Invalides
For the ability to evoke a misty atmosphere, where the red sign of the umbrella visually breaks the image symmetry and the courtyard of Les Invalides is depicted like a “safe harbour” to take shelter in.

Giacomo Termini – Centre Pompidou
The picture transforms the architecture of the Centre Pompidou from an “exhibition machine” into an almost domestic space; a place where two women make small talk sheltering under huge pipe intakes.

Daniel Zhao – Musée d’Orsay
Irony is the hallmark of this photo, which presents a sort of short circuit between those who are photographing the artwork and the photographer who is picturing them. A shot made “on the fly”, yet one which perfectly depicts the role of images within the 21st century globalized culture.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Furthermore, we decided to award 5 honorable mentions to other valuable images, particularly because of their originality and expressiveness.

Daniele Cametti Aspri – Petit Palais
The Petit Palais is skilfully depicted here like the palace of a Gothic tale, while the illuminate windows are an invitation to enter

Christian Facchini – Centre Pompidou
An image quite remarkable for its visual and symbolic quality.

Simona Lomurno – IncontrArti
An image which depicts the theme of the competition in an original and apt way.

Maria Benedetta Mioni – Musée Picasso
A photo which communicates an important concept: that museums are made for children.

Carlo Pierri – Musée du Louvre
A photo which succeeds in communicating the idea of museum as a domestic space.

See all entries in the competition main page www.inexhibit.com/incontest/postcards-from-paris-photo-contest/