Jodi Windvogel, a photographer based in Cape Town, has been named the winner of Fujifilm’s GFX Challenge Grant Programme 2023.
Windvogel’s project, ‘The Body at Risk’, was chosen as one of only five global grant recipients from over 2 000 international entries, marking the first time South African photographers were eligible to participate.
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Windvogel’s selection supports her project with a $10 000 grant and the use of a Fujifilm large format GFX System camera body and two GF lenses for the duration of the project.
‘The Body at Risk’ examines the pervasive issue of gender-based violence in South Africa.
Windvogel’s project aims to document various locations in the Western Cape Province, with the goal of capturing 30 to 40 landscapes depicting scenes of sexual and physical violence without depicting any individuals.
According to Windvogel, the idea for this project stemmed from alarming local statistics revealing the prevalence of violence against women.
‘The project seeks to shed light on the aftermath and concealed stories left behind. Through photographs of the sites where gender-based violence took place, The Body at Risk aims to visually raise awareness about women’s safety, examining the psychological weight and vulnerability experienced by women in South Africa,’ Windvogel notes.
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She continues, ‘Documenting the issue of gender-based violence in South Africa is crucial to me because it provides a visual narrative that goes beyond statistics. These images, whether showcasing a house, bedroom or an empty field, serve as poignant memorials and contribute to a discourse without intrusive exploitation of bodies. By capturing this, I aim to amplify the voices of survivors, raise awareness about the pervasive problem, and spark conversations around the safety of women.’
The GFX Challenge Grant Programme, sponsored by Fujifilm, is now in its third year.
It awards five Global Grant Awards and ten Regional Grant Awards to help aspiring creatives bring their imaging projects to life. It is intended to nurture and develop the skills of emerging/promising content creators by giving them the opportunity to create content on topics that are meaningful to them while gaining experience with Fujifilm GFX System gear.
Windvogel believes Fujifilm’s large format GFX cameras, including the GFX100 II, will deliver unrivalled image quality.
‘Fujifilm’s GFX System allows me to produce excellent images and showcase them without compromising the integrity of the visuals. It will play a crucial role in bringing my project to the public, as I intend to present these impactful images on a grand scale through large-scale prints,’ she notes.
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At the end of the production period in June 2024, the award recipients’ final content will be displayed on the fujifilm-x.com website as well as in an exhibition at Fujifilm Square, a gallery within Fujifilm Headquarters in Roppongi, Tokyo.
Deon Brits, general manager of the Imaging Solutions Division at Fujifilm South Africa, commented on Windvogel’s announcement as the recipient of the GFX Challenge Grant Programme 2023, saying, ‘We are extremely proud of Windvogel, since this is the first time Fujifilm has chosen a local photographer as a grant recipient. Her project is highly impactful, depicting gender-based violence through a keen photographic eye. We are confident our GFX large format cameras will provide stand-out images for this important project.’
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Picture: Supplied