Latest news with #PhotoVogue
CairoScene
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
PhotoVogue's Daniel Rodríguez Gordillo Reflects on Cairo Photo Week
In an exclusive interview, PhotoVogue's Daniel Rodríguez Gordillo unpacks the platform's approach to image-making, the power of storytelling, and why Cairo Photo Week left a lasting impression. May 12, 2025 As one of the leading curators at PhotoVogue—the global photography platform under Vogue Italia—Daniel Rodríguez Gordillo holds a front-row seat to the evolution of visual storytelling. During his recent trip to Egypt for Cairo Photo Week, we caught up with Rodríguez Gordillo to discuss what makes a compelling image, the ethos behind PhotoVogue, and his reflections on Cairo's growing photography scene. In the video interview, Rodríguez Gordillo offers rare insight into the selection process at PhotoVogue, revealing that aesthetics, while important, often come second to the depth and urgency of the story being told. 'Sometimes a photograph is beautiful,' he explains, 'but beauty alone doesn't carry it. We're looking for voices—for something that feels necessary.' That belief in the photograph as a vessel for narrative was echoed throughout Cairo Photo Week - a festival Rodríguez Gordillo described as impressive in its scale, ambition, and calibre of talent. From emerging Egyptian image-makers to international exhibitions, he noted the diversity of perspectives and the fearless experimentation on display. Rodríguez Gordillo's visit underscores Cairo Photo Week's growing reputation as a platform not just for showcasing work, but for shaping the future of photography in the region. And in a world flooded with images, it's that commitment to story, purpose, and place that makes the difference. Cairo Photo Week 2025 is running till May 18th across Downtown Cairo and in the Cairo Design District in New Cairo.
CNN
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
In Ecuador's mountains, a photographer's search for ultra-long hair
Over the past two decades, the Argentinian photographer Irina Werning has traveled around Latin America with a specific directive in mind: find women — and eventually, men — with the longest hair. Titled 'Las Pelilargas,' or 'The Long-haired Ones,' the body of work celebrates the shared cultural reverence for long tresses across the region, in both small Indigenous communities and urban centers. In her interviews with the people she met and photographed, Werning heard many personal reasons for growing and maintaining ultra-long hair, but connecting stories was often its role in cultural identity and ancestral traditions. 'The true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation,' Werning writes on her website. 'It's the culture of Latin America, where our ancestors believed that cutting hair was cutting life, that hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and our souls and our connection to the land.' At the PhotoVogue festival in Milan earlier this month, Werning exhibited the final chapter in the series, called 'La Resistencia,' which features portraits of Indigenous Kichwa living in Otavalo, Ecuador. 'I was very intrigued by how it would be to photograph men after so many years of photographing women,' she explained on a phone call with CNN — particularly as long hair is often associated with femininity. Werning's extensive body of work began in the Andes. As she was photographing schools around Argentina's Indigenous Kolla community in the northwest, during her travels she encountered women with exceptionally long hair, and took their images. 'I went back to Buenos Aires, and these pictures were haunting me,' Werning recalled. 'So I decided to go back to these small towns.' In the absence of widely used social media platforms in 2006, she put up signs that said she was searching for long-haired women for artistic purposes. As she traveled to more places, she organized long-hair competitions to bring more women together. 'Slowly, the project started to grow,' she said. She completed the work in February 2024 with the images in 'La Resistencia.' In different parts of the world, braids have become powerful symbols of identity as well as defiance against colonialism and systemic racial injustice. In the Kichwa community, as in other Indigenous groups in North and South America, men and boys wear long braids to reclaim the tradition after a history of forced hair cutting during Spanish colonial rule and pressures to assimilate, Werning said. 'Braids in Indigenous communities are a form of resistance, in a way, because conquerors would cut (them),' she said. 'The braid was a symbol of identity, of unity. It's more difficult to take away someone's language, but this is a very symbolic act that's very easy to do.' In one image from 'La Resistencia,' sisters, dressed in traditional white blouses, gather at a table as their father braids their brother's hair. Werning said when the father, RUMInawi Cachimuel, was young, his family cut his braids so that he wouldn't face discrimination at school. But now, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining Kichwa traditions to his children, from their clothing and music to their hair, she explained. 'We've fought hard for our braids; it was a lengthy struggle to proudly showcase our braids,' Cachimuel told Werning in a translated interview. 'As people, we've endured significant hardships. Now, I teach my children that they must learn from our ancestors and pass down to future generations what it means to be Kichwa.' In another portrait, a father and his two boys stand in a line, braiding each other's hair, which only direct relatives are allowed to do, she explained. 'Las Pelilargas' will be published as a book later this year. As the series comes to a close, Werning says she's returned to some places she visited early on, wondering if they had been impacted by any major cultural shifts, like the rise of social media platforms. 'As a photographer, we are kind of pessimistic, (thinking) 'this is something disappearing, so I need to document it,' and in a way it's true because globalization really does change communities,' she said. But in the small towns in northern Argentina, where she first began the project, she was happy to find the opposite was true: Las pelilargas were still everywhere.
CNN
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
In Ecuador's mountains, a photographer's search for ultra-long hair
Over the past two decades, the Argentinian photographer Irina Werning has traveled around Latin America with a specific directive in mind: find women — and eventually, men — with the longest hair. Titled 'Las Pelilargas,' or 'The Long-haired Ones,' the body of work celebrates the shared cultural reverence for long tresses across the region, in both small Indigenous communities and urban centers. In her interviews with the people she met and photographed, Werning heard many personal reasons for growing and maintaining ultra-long hair, but connecting stories was often its role in cultural identity and ancestral traditions. 'The true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation,' Werning writes on her website. 'It's the culture of Latin America, where our ancestors believed that cutting hair was cutting life, that hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and our souls and our connection to the land.' At the PhotoVogue festival in Milan earlier this month, Werning exhibited the final chapter in the series, called 'La Resistencia,' which features portraits of Indigenous Kichwa living in Otavalo, Ecuador. 'I was very intrigued by how it would be to photograph men after so many years of photographing women,' she explained on a phone call with CNN — particularly as long hair is often associated with femininity. Werning's extensive body of work began in the Andes. As she was photographing schools around Argentina's Indigenous Kolla community in the northwest, during her travels she encountered women with exceptionally long hair, and took their images. 'I went back to Buenos Aires, and these pictures were haunting me,' Werning recalled. 'So I decided to go back to these small towns.' In the absence of widely used social media platforms in 2006, she put up signs that said she was searching for long-haired women for artistic purposes. As she traveled to more places, she organized long-hair competitions to bring more women together. 'Slowly, the project started to grow,' she said. She completed the work in February 2024 with the images in 'La Resistencia.' In different parts of the world, braids have become powerful symbols of identity as well as defiance against colonialism and systemic racial injustice. In the Kichwa community, as in other Indigenous groups in North and South America, men and boys wear long braids to reclaim the tradition after a history of forced hair cutting during Spanish colonial rule and pressures to assimilate, Werning said. 'Braids in Indigenous communities are a form of resistance, in a way, because conquerors would cut (them),' she said. 'The braid was a symbol of identity, of unity. It's more difficult to take away someone's language, but this is a very symbolic act that's very easy to do.' In one image from 'La Resistencia,' sisters, dressed in traditional white blouses, gather at a table as their father braids their brother's hair. Werning said when the father, RUMInawi Cachimuel, was young, his family cut his braids so that he wouldn't face discrimination at school. But now, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining Kichwa traditions to his children, from their clothing and music to their hair, she explained. 'We've fought hard for our braids; it was a lengthy struggle to proudly showcase our braids,' Cachimuel told Werning in a translated interview. 'As people, we've endured significant hardships. Now, I teach my children that they must learn from our ancestors and pass down to future generations what it means to be Kichwa.' In another portrait, a father and his two boys stand in a line, braiding each other's hair, which only direct relatives are allowed to do, she explained. 'Las Pelilargas' will be published as a book later this year. As the series comes to a close, Werning says she's returned to some places she visited early on, wondering if they had been impacted by any major cultural shifts, like the rise of social media platforms. 'As a photographer, we are kind of pessimistic, (thinking) 'this is something disappearing, so I need to document it,' and in a way it's true because globalization really does change communities,' she said. But in the small towns in northern Argentina, where she first began the project, she was happy to find the opposite was true: Las pelilargas were still everywhere.
CNN
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
In Ecuador's mountains, a photographer's search for ultra-long hair
Over the past two decades, the Argentinian photographer Irina Werning has traveled around Latin America with a specific directive in mind: find women — and eventually, men — with the longest hair. Titled 'Las Pelilargas,' or 'The Long-haired Ones,' the body of work celebrates the shared cultural reverence for long tresses across the region, in both small Indigenous communities and urban centers. In her interviews with the people she met and photographed, Werning heard many personal reasons for growing and maintaining ultra-long hair, but connecting stories was often its role in cultural identity and ancestral traditions. 'The true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation,' Werning writes on her website. 'It's the culture of Latin America, where our ancestors believed that cutting hair was cutting life, that hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and our souls and our connection to the land.' At the PhotoVogue festival in Milan earlier this month, Werning exhibited the final chapter in the series, called 'La Resistencia,' which features portraits of Indigenous Kichwa living in Otavalo, Ecuador. 'I was very intrigued by how it would be to photograph men after so many years of photographing women,' she explained on a phone call with CNN — particularly as long hair is often associated with femininity. Werning's extensive body of work began in the Andes. As she was photographing schools around Argentina's Indigenous Kolla community in the northwest, during her travels she encountered women with exceptionally long hair, and took their images. 'I went back to Buenos Aires, and these pictures were haunting me,' Werning recalled. 'So I decided to go back to these small towns.' In the absence of widely used social media platforms in 2006, she put up signs that said she was searching for long-haired women for artistic purposes. As she traveled to more places, she organized long-hair competitions to bring more women together. 'Slowly, the project started to grow,' she said. She completed the work in February 2024 with the images in 'La Resistencia.' In different parts of the world, braids have become powerful symbols of identity as well as defiance against colonialism and systemic racial injustice. In the Kichwa community, as in other Indigenous groups in North and South America, men and boys wear long braids to reclaim the tradition after a history of forced hair cutting during Spanish colonial rule and pressures to assimilate, Werning said. 'Braids in Indigenous communities are a form of resistance, in a way, because conquerors would cut (them),' she said. 'The braid was a symbol of identity, of unity. It's more difficult to take away someone's language, but this is a very symbolic act that's very easy to do.' In one image from 'La Resistencia,' sisters, dressed in traditional white blouses, gather at a table as their father braids their brother's hair. Werning said when the father, RUMInawi Cachimuel, was young, his family cut his braids so that he wouldn't face discrimination at school. But now, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining Kichwa traditions to his children, from their clothing and music to their hair, she explained. 'We've fought hard for our braids; it was a lengthy struggle to proudly showcase our braids,' Cachimuel told Werning in a translated interview. 'As people, we've endured significant hardships. Now, I teach my children that they must learn from our ancestors and pass down to future generations what it means to be Kichwa.' In another portrait, a father and his two boys stand in a line, braiding each other's hair, which only direct relatives are allowed to do, she explained. 'Las Pelilargas' will be published as a book later this year. As the series comes to a close, Werning says she's returned to some places she visited early on, wondering if they had been impacted by any major cultural shifts, like the rise of social media platforms. 'As a photographer, we are kind of pessimistic, (thinking) 'this is something disappearing, so I need to document it,' and in a way it's true because globalization really does change communities,' she said. But in the small towns in northern Argentina, where she first began the project, she was happy to find the opposite was true: Las pelilargas were still everywhere.
The Guardian
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Branching out: PhotoVogue festival celebrates nature
The ninth edition of PhotoVogue festival in Milan features exhibitions such as the Tree of Life: A Love Letter to Nature and Latin American Panorama. The images celebrate the resilience, interconnectedness and beauty of the natural world while addressing pressing global challenges. PhotoVogue festival is at BASE Milano from 6-9 March 2025 Photograph: Alex Valentina The festival's central exhibition features 50 artists – photographers and video makers – selected through a global open call. Their works serve as visual tributes to nature, highlighting the fragility and enduring beauty of life on Earth Photograph: Chiron Duong 'Art has the power to inspire meaningful change,' says Alessia Glaviano, head of global and festival director at PhotoVogue Photograph: Gleeson Paulino 'This edition of the PhotoVogue festival aims to foster a deeper understanding of our kinship with all living beings and spark collective action to protect our shared home' Photograph: Ana Caroline de Lima This year's theme deep dives into our relationship with animals and the whole planet, the challenges we're facing caused by environmental change, and the communities and individuals who are fighting to save the Earth, promoting a more sustainable way of living and interacting with it Photograph: Rafael M Milani For many cultures around the world humans are not seen as detached and in opposition to nature, but as part of it Photograph: Lucia Alonso Garrido Inspired by the concept of kinship the festival proposes a new way of living, in which humans create meaningful bonds with their ecosystems, questioning the status quo Photograph: Ritva Tuomi The Latin American Panorama exhibition celebrates the creativity from Latin America and its diaspora. These artists explore themes of identity, culture and environmental interdependence Photograph: Gleeson Paulino The vibrant exhibition showcases the works of 42 photographers and video makers again selected through a regional open call Photograph: Alessandro Bo Using environmental, documentary and fashion photography, the artists deal with urgent matters and analyse the multiculturalism of the region Photograph: Xavier Revuelta Photographer Cristopher Rogel Blanquet says: 'During one of my visits to the flower market in Villa Guerrero I saw this man asleep. I didn't wake him up, I just took the photo. Beautiful Poison is a long-term project documenting the public health problem associated to the unrestricted use of agrochemicals by the flower industry in the region. Despite conclusive medical studies linking pesticide and fertiliser components to many illnesses, the healthcare demands of the population in Mexico's flower belt have been overlooked Photograph: Cristopher Rogel Blanquet Girl dressed as a chola posing at the top of a mountain. Being a chola is more than just the clothes – it is the attitude Photograph: Sara Aliaga Two women braid the hair of a young woman from the Uru-Chipaya community. The activity serves as a form of social cohesion because two or more people are required to carry out the task Photograph: Salvador Saavedra Created for Vogue Mexico & Latin America's 25th anniversary, the local open call has gathered talented artists whose works depict the multilayered essence of the region. Other shows on display are In Vogue with Nature, which celebrates Vogue covers, Seeds of Knowledge and The Tree of Change Photograph: Gastón Zilberman
