Atsay (domestic worker) sa Araw, Photographer Kung Day-Off _____________________________ Filipino Domestic Worker Earns Prestigious Magnum Fellowship for Her Photography • Published on January 23, 2015 by Michael Zhang • For the past 10 years, 27-year-old Xyza Cruz Bacani has been working as a domestic worker for a wealthy Chinese family in Hong Kong. On her days off, she brings her camera onto her city’s sidewalks and captures impressive street photos. • Yesterday, Bacani’s life took a dramatic turn: she was announced as a recipient of the 2015 Human Rights Fellowship by the Magnum Foundation, a prestigious scholarship that will give her the opportunity to study in an intensive, six-week-long program at New York University in NYC. The experience will equip her in creating “effective visual stories with the aim of advancing Human Rights” in her home country. • In a profile on Bacani’s life and work, the NY Times’ Lens Blog writes that Bacani purchased a Nikon D90 a few years after moving to Hong Kong using some money she borrowed from her employer. • The camera opened the door to the world of street photography, and soon Bacani was attracting attention all over the Internet for her striking images. • Here is a selection of her photographs: • More recently, Bacani used her camera to document a women’s shelter for abused domestic workers. The images from that project helped her win the Magnum fellowship. • The photographer says she hopes to become a professional photojournalist and return to the Philippines for her future photography work — photos that she hopes will help change her home country for the better. • ________________________________________ • Image credits: Photographs by Xyza Cruz Bacani and used with permission
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:23:42 +0000