“Humanity is complex,” says Richard Tsong-Taatarii, whose photograph Not My Verdict has been shortlisted for Portrait of Humanity 2019. Tsong-Taatari’s portrait shows John Thompson being embraced in Minnesota, after speaking out at a memorial rally for his close friend Philando Castile, two days after a police officer was acquitted of all charges in Castile’s shooting. “I want to remind people that injustice cannot be swept under the rug,” explains Tsong-Taatarii. “This moment captures the pain and repercussions of systemic racism in our society.”
Portrait of Humanity asked photographers to document the universal expressions of life: laughter, courage, moments of reflection, journeys to work, first hellos, last goodbyes, and everything in between. The submissions came from every corner of the world, and together, the winning and shortlisted images create a powerful and diverse Portrait of Humanity. Fifty photographs will tour the world as part of one of the greatest collaborative photography exhibitions in history and 200 images are featured in a book published by Hoxton Mini Press.
Alongside Tsong-Taatarii’s image, are photographs that show the big and small moments of daily life. Fabian Muir’s winning image shows a group of children growing up in an orphanage in North Korea, they are dressed in pink, sitting side-by-side, and captivated by something just beyond the window. Giulia Frigieri’s portrait celebrates Shahla Yasini, who is challenging stereotypes of Middle Eastern women by pioneering the surfing scene in southeast Iran, and Karan Kumar Sachdev photographs Madgo and Lokkhmi, two best friends of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Odisha, India.
Do you want to be part of the movement? Together, we will create a Portrait of Humanity
