Afro-Brazilian religious practitioners during the Yemanjá festival. Originally held on 31 December, this celebration became one of Brazil’s largest cultural celebrations. However, due to prejudice, Afro-Brazilian religions were forced to change the date of the celebration. In many tourist sites, their rituals were seen as inconvenient by those who gathered on the beaches to celebrate the New Year, leading to resistance from local authorities and other groups.
Mongaguá, Brazil.
Series Name: M'kumba
Series Description: M’kumba is an ongoing project that illustrates the resilience of Afro-Brazilian communities in the face of local religious intolerance. Its name derives from an ancient Kongo word for spiritual leaders, before it was distorted by local society to demean African religions. For more than 300 years, nearly 5 million African people were brought to Brazil. They lost their freedom, and their spiritualities were persecuted by colonial ideologies. Until 1970, Afro-Brazilian religions were criminalised, and due to longstanding prejudice they still face violence – more than 2,000 attacks were reported in 2024 alone. Although 56 per cent of Brazilians are of Afro-descent, fewer than 2 per cent identify as Afro-religious due to fear of persecution. As an Afro-religious priest in training, Gui Christ wanted to photograph a proud, young generation representing African deities and mythological tales. Through intimate imagery, this project challenges prejudice while celebrating these spiritual traditions as vital to Brazil’s cultural identity.
Prestiżowy tytuł Fotografa Roku 2025 przyznano znanemu brytyjskiemu fotografowi Zedowi Nelsonowi za cykl The Anthropocene Illusion (Złudzenie antropocenu). Zwycięzca otrzymał nagrodę pieniężną w wysokości 25 000 dolarów, cyfrowy sprzęt fotograficzny firmy Sony oraz możliwość zaprezentowania dodatkowych prac na wystawie Sony World Photography Awards 2026.
