Student Award 2024 | Camilla Richetti (eng)

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Winner Student Award 2024Camilla Richetti
Dancing Spirits

The name Dancing Spirits is inspired by the animistic beliefs of the Bayaka people, who see the forest as alive with spirits revealed through nocturnal dances and runs with rhythmic drum beats. In the Republic of the Congo, where 60% of the land is covered by rainforest, the government has divided it between logging companies and national parks, posing challenges to the local population’s livelihoods.
Amid economic fragility, steady employment opportunities draw people to the region from various parts of Congo and neighboring nations, leading to the construction of new roads that disrupt indigenous communities and wildlife habitats. Indigenous groups like the Bayaka, who rely on the forest for their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle, face marginalization as their territories are disturbed by industrial activities. Additionally, the influx of laborers increases wildlife threats through heightened hunting for bushmeat, equally driven by urban demand for its taste and perceived status symbol.
The narrative unfolds as an intricate puzzle, a challenge of coexistence, a pursuit to find harmony between humanity and the natural world, a riddle begging for a resolution that ensures prosperity without inflicting harm.

Copyright: © Camilla Richetti

Camilla Richetti is an Italian independent documentary photographer. Currently based between Spain and Italy, she has lived abroad and traveled extensively since childhood, nurturing her curiosity and cultural awareness while shaping her character and drawing her creative vision.
Her work is focused on social and environmental issues, cultural phenomena, and identities. With a solid background in international relations and languages, Camilla combines it with anthropological methods in her photography practice. Compelled to understand the motivations and perspectives of people, she aims to create awareness and foster understanding through visual storytelling. Prior to her career in photography, Camilla worked in the medical field of assisted reproduction.

Lodi, Palazzo Barni, C.so Vittorio Emanuele II, 17

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