Fotografen - Einzelansicht
Shobha - CONTRASTO
Kontakt: | Shobha |
---|---|
Tel.: | +39 06 328281 |
Fax: | +39 06 32828240 |
E-Mail: | international:annalisasalsano-asalsano@contrasto.it |
Web: | http://www.contrasto.it/eng/photographers/dettaglio.asp?idf=26 |
"Shobha is a versatile photographer: her name is worldwide
renown.
She was born in Palermo in 1954 and has studied music at the
Conservatory in Milano. Afterwards she moved to India and then
to the United States. She started her career in 1980 by taking
pictures on the behalf of newspaper L'Ora, based in Palermo.
Her pictures portray the political and social life in Sicily
during the years of Mafia. In 1985 she created the Laboratorio
d'If in Palermo, centre for cultural and photography, where
lots of exhibitions have been hosted. Since 1987 she focused on
social and International issues; she moved to Cuba for a while
working on various aspects of the island. She published on the
most important Italian and foreign magazines as Stern, Zeit
Magazine, Cosmopolitan, New York Times, Sunday Times, Glamour,
Der Spiegel, Il Venerdì, Panorama, L'Espresso, Vanity Fair, Max
and Amica. She also published a book with journalist Petra
Reski a book on Rita Atria and female criminals who turned
State's evidence, printed in Germany by Hoffman Und Campe; a
book written by Marcelle Padovani about Giovanni Falcone,
printed in Spain; "Auguri Comandante! E' nata una femmina"
published by Edizioni della Battaglia (Palermo) and Desmart, in
France. Her commitment in photography clashed with a growing
interest in the Sicilian reality. The attention on Mafia
phenomenon marking Shobha's career, with a peculiar glance on
women's condition, regardless if they are victims or
protagonists of Mafia feeuds. "Women and Mafia", in fact, one
of the most celebrated reportages by Shobha, has been published
by the most important International magazines.
In 1995 some works of hers have been exhibited at the Biennal
of Venice. One year later she realized reportages about
contemprary arts working together with artists such as Rosmarie
Trockl. In 1998 she wins the second best prize at the World
Press Photo, in the "Portraits Story" category, with a
reportage about Sicilian nobility, the projects she focused on
over the past years which in 1999 became an exhibition and a
book, titled "Gli Ultimi Gattopardi", printed by Contrasto in
collaboration with the Commune of Palermo.
In 2000 Shobha is formally invited by the "Iraqi Society for
Photography" to exhibit at the 10th Baghdad International
Festival for Photographic Pictures and to realize a work about
Saddam Hussein's birthday. In 2001 she receives the prestigious
acknoledgement at the Hansel-Mieth Preis with her reportage
"Church and Mafia", realized with journalist Petra Reski. In
2002 Shobha wins the second best award at the World Press
Photo, "Arts and Entertainment" category, with her reporage on
"Fashion in Senegal", which later began an exhibition, then
printed into the "Gli Angeli Della Medina" catalogue, published
by Micromuseum. In the same year she's invited to take part at
Photoespaña, Festival Internacional de Fotografia Femeninos,
held in Madrid. In 2003 she realizes a reportage about children
trade for UNICEF and "Il Venerdì di Repubblica". In 2004 she is
awarded with the prize Osvaldo Buzzi, in Benevento. In the last
years she is testing herself in fashion photography and her
images have been exhibited in many International museums and
galleries.
Shobha is represented world-wide by Contrasto since 1992."
"Contrasto is a unique enterprise in the field of photography. Contrasto was born in the 80's to be a point of reference for quality photojournalism.
The agency's photographers, in addition to its close contact with the information and culture worlds, allows Contrasto to be a leader in the field of author photography.
Its vast range of activities (production and distribution of images for journalism, advertising and image consulting, fashion and publishing, archives available online) is guaranteed by the various resources it draws from; Most notably Magnum, the prestigious agency founded by Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Contrasto is publishing house as well, working to realize photographic books, and exhibits in cooperation with Italy's public and private institutions.
The high level of Contrasto photographers' amounts to a gallery of unique images suitable for collecting purposes as well."