Judges 2022

Prarthna Singh’s work explores questions of identity and gender, especially as they intersect with the fraught politics of nationalism in contemporary India. Her images reflect on the economic and political trajectory of the country, drawing connections between feminine precariousness and vulnerability, on the one hand, and radical strength, on the other. Her practice negotiates how the two sides are inextricably linked. These narratives are deliberately constructed within India’s own traditions, poised between fragility and abundance. After completing her BFA in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design, Prarthna lived and worked in New York City. Currently she is based in Bombay. Her work has appeared in TIME magazine, The New York Times, 1843: The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, FT Weekend, Monocle, Bloomberg News and The Guardian. Commercially she has collaborated with Dior, Apple, Nike, Uniqlo, Instagram, One Plus, Linkedin and Airbnb.

Gem Fletcher is a hybrid creative focusing on visual culture at the intersection of life and art. Through explorations in film, photography, sound and language, she creates stories that provoke emotion and challenge perspectives. In addition to her personal research practice, she works across a range of contexts including editorial, commercial and fine art. In 2019, Gem launched The Messy Truth podcast, a series of candid conversations that unpack the future of visual culture and what it means to be a photographer today.
Gem is a freelance writer specialising in photography, art and the creative process and how they manifest in contemporary culture. She is a  Photo Director of Riposte Magazine, contributing editor of Creative Review and The September Issues and writes for publications and platforms including: It’s Nice That, BJP, The Guardian, Riposte, Sleek, AnOther, Elephant and Ladybeard. She has also written essays for a variety of photo books including Flower Men by Ken Hermann and Silence by Flora Hanitijo.

Alastair McKimm is Editor-in-Chief of i-D. Prior to his appointment at i-D, he contributed regularly to T, The New York Times Magazine, British Vogue, Vogue Italia and Self Service. McKimm’s bold and modern aesthetic allows him to reconstruct fashion in any context. Born and raised in Northern Ireland, McKimm began his styling career in London after studying fashion design at Nottingham Art School.McKimm’s talent for creating clean, precise looks has garnered the attention of designers such as Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello, Calvin Klein, Jil Sander, The Row, Alexander Wang, and Versus Versace, who request him for their campaigns, consultations and fashion shows. Additionally, his editorial collaborations are with noted photographers such as Craig McDean, David Sims, Mario Sorrenti, Willy Vanderperre, Inez & Vinoodh, Mikael Jansson, Dan Jackson, Amy Troost and Paolo Roversi.

Detroit born and bred, Mahmoud ‘Mo’ Mfinanga, is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist who primarily practices as an editor, writer and photographer. Established in 2013, Mahmoud founded Emmazed, a community-oriented online platform that has become a station of community-driven projects made to empower artists and encourage transparency in the contemporary art world.

Jono Tusder is a senior Photography Agent at London based artist management agency, CANVAS Represents. Prior to this, Jono was a freelance producer and co-owner of a photographic studio in Shoreditch. He has been in the creative industries for 9 years and has worked with clients including; Adidas, Alexander McQueen, British Vogue, Calvin Klein, Dazed, Hermès, Luncheon Magazine, M Le Monde, Sandro, Stella McCartney and Wall Street Journal.

Lola Paprocka is a photographer with a practice centring on documentary imagery. Her focus is on creating work with sentimental narratives that are authentic and honest in their representation of the subject whilst retaining her personal clean and unfussy aesthetic. Lola has curated the Independent Photography Festival in London, in addition to a number of solo exhibitions and book launches. She founded and curated Palm* Studios, photo book publisher that showcases photographers and artists through creative projects, online features, exhibitions, events and book launches. It was founded in 2015. Alongside her personal practice, she also shoot as part of a photography duo with Pani Paul under the moniker Lola & Pani. This work as well as parts of her personal practice overlap into the fashion industry where they have contributed stories to magazines including The New York Times, British Vogue and i-D Magazine.