In Charleston, South Carolina, a statue is removed for the first time since 124 years. This represents a long overdue reckoning of our nation’s history of racial justice. A photographer in Guatemala tries to make meaning of an event from his childhood. One artist who is grieving her father’s death and navigating her 40s finds a way of showing us how depression feels. One artist tries to look at the world from the perspective of her nephew who suffers from a severe and rare form of epilepsy.
The non-profit Center Santa Fe has recognized a number of projects as part of its Grants and Awards program. These awards are given to completed and ongoing photography projects each year. Nine artists were chosen to explore some of today’s most pressing issues, such as climate change, racism and mental health, using a variety of tools, media and approaches.
Maximilian Thuemler is the first to be announced as the winner of the Development Grant. His work has taken place along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. The Limb is a collection of self-portraits and performances as well as landscapes and still lives that tell the story about places with a tragic history. He takes us to Jekyll island in Georgia where hundreds of enslaved West Africans were once kidnapped by the Wanderer.