World Press Photo 2011

The international jury of the 54th annual World Press Photo Contest has selected a picture by Jodi Bieber from South Africa as the World Press Photo of the Year 2010.

The portrait of Bibi Aisha was also awarded First prize in the category Portraits Singles in this year's contest. It was shot for Time and was featured on the cover of the 9 August issue of the magazine.

Her winning picture shows Bibi Aisha, 18, who was disfigured as retribution for fleeing her husband's house in Oruzgan province, in the center of Afghanistan. At the age of 12, Aisha and her younger sister had been given to the family of a Taliban fighter under a Pashtun tribal custom for settling disputes. When she reached puberty she was married to him, but she later returned to her parents' home, complaining of violent treatment by her in-laws.

Men arrived there one night demanding that she be handed over to be punished for running away. Aisha was taken to a mountain clearing, where, at the orders of a Taliban commander, she was held down and had first her ears sliced off, then her nose. In local culture, a man who has been shamed by his wife is said to have lost his nose, and this is seen as punishment in return. Aisha was abandoned, but later rescued and taken to a shelter in Kabul run by the aid organization Women for Afghan Women, where she was given treatment and psychological help. After time in the refuge, she was taken to America to receive further counseling and reconstructive surgery.

 "Ser o fotógrafo vencedor do World Press Photo deve ser das coisas mais incríveis do mundo. Ser o fotografado em qualquer das imagens vencedoras ou a concurso deve ser das piores coisas do mundo. É verdade que se trata de um prémio prestigiante, mas os assuntos mais distinguidos nunca reflectem a vida descansada de alguém que está a passar um bom dia.

A partir de amanhã, e até 22 de Maio, vão poder ser vistas no Museu da Electricidade, em Lisboa, as imagens que venceram o concurso o ano passado. À beira-rio, a salvo de guerras e catástrofes naturais, estará a foto vencedora de Jodi Bieber, retrato de uma jovem afegã a quem o marido e o sogro cortaram o nariz e as orelhas (capa da "Time" em Agosto do ano passado). Ao todo, 55 fotógrafos de 23 nacionalidades estarão representados nesta exposição."

Em Portugal:  

Exposição no Museu da Electricidade patente até 22 de Maio. Central Tejo, Av. Brasília, Lisboa. Das 10h às 18h; sábados até às 20h. Encerra às segundas. Entrada livre