TOKYO-2016 Fine Art / Other

Silent Voices

  • Prize
    Silver in Advertising/Self-Promotion, Bronze in Fine Art/Other
  • Photographer
    Marinka Masséus

In the ongoing photo series 'Silent Voices' I symbolically draw attention to gender inequality. Gender inequality is still one of the most systemic inequalities in the world. That fact is true for every culture, race or religion. Whether it is the gender pay gap, domestic violence, honor killings, genital mutilation or the stoning of rape victims, there is still a lot of work to be done. Everywhere. Although in many countries it seems we have reached equality, recent events have shown that that might be a thin layer of veneer. The rise in sexual assaults has given birth to the worrying term rape-culture and has uncovered a deep underbelly of disrespect to women’s bodies. In the meantime, girls everywhere are told to behave modestly as to avoid trouble. To walk the line. The subliminal message being that molestation and rape is their responsibility. It is not. Or in the words of former US president Jimmy Carter: "There is a pervasive denial of equal rights to women, more than half of all human beings, and this discrimination results in tangible harm to all of us. It is the worst and most unaddressed human rights violation on Earth.” There are still a lot of silent voices. My wish is that they will all be heard.