Gomma Photography Grant 2017
Charlie Surfs on Lotus Flowers
Photographer
Simone Sapienza
Charlie Surfs on Lotus Flowers
13 Oct, 2022
Fascinated by the contradictions of post-war Vietnam, a country somewhat in limbo between free-market capitalism and the strict rules of the Communist party, I embarked on a journey to reflect about “the society of spectacle†in Vietnam. In fact, populated by a young and energetic new generation, Vietnam is likely to become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. However, behind this illusive economic freedom, the Communist government still holds absolute political power. The allusive and ambiguous series is a sequence of metaphorical responses to notions of power, economy, energy, exoticism and politics that characterise the current Vietnamese society.
About the photographer
Simone Sapienza
Simone Sapienza (b.1990) is a photographer graduated in Documentary Photography (BA - First Class with Hons) from the University of South Wales – Newport (2013-2016). Simone has been recently nominated for the C/O Berlin "Talent Award 2019", selected amongst the six finalists of "Grand Prix 2019" by Fotofestiwal Åódź and chosen for the third cycle (2019-2020) of Parallel Platform programme. Previously, he won the "Best Rising Talent" award by Gomma Grant in 2017 and was amongst the winners of the "Breakthrough Award" by The British Journal of Photography in 2016 and "PDNEdu" by PDN in 2014 and 2017. Finally, he has got honorable mentions at Pesaresi Prize in 2016 and PHmuseum Grant - New Generation in 2015 and 2018. His works have been displayed all over the world in festivals and galleries, such as Fotofestiwal (Poland), Spazio Labò (Italy), Fotografia Europea (Italy), Jaipur Photo (India), Pingyao International Photography Festival (China), Triennale Milano (Italy), Museum of Photography Photobiennale Thessaloniki (Greece), Macro - Emerging Talents (Rome, Italy). His photographs have been featured on international magazines/websites, such as Monopol (Germany), Vogue Italia (Italy), PDN (USA), New Republic (USA), Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), The British Journal of Photography (UK), Io Donna (Italy), Photo World (China), Al Jazeera (UK), La Repubblica (Italy), La Stampa (Italy), T•Pot (Vietnam), and others. Have a look at his tearsheets. In 2018, his first photobook "Charlie Surfs on Lotus Flowers" has been published by AKINA. In 2015, he co-founded Gazebook - Sicily Photobook Festival, then in 2016 he joined Minimum in Palermo. Since 2019, he is a guest teacher at Spazio Labò in Bologna, Italy. Finally, in 2018, he has worked as Art Mediator for the contemporary art biennial Manifesta 12. Simone is actually based in Palermo, where he lives with his partner Valentina and their 1-yr old daughter, Marlene.
