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Klavdij Sluban
© U. Abram
Klavdij Sluban
Klavdij Sluban

Klavdij Sluban

Country: France
Birth: 1963

Klavdij SLUBAN, winner of the European Publishers Award for Photography 2009, of the Leica Prize (2004) and of the Niépce Prize (2000), main French prize in photography, Klavdij Sluban is a French photographer of Slovenian origin born in Paris in 1963.

He develops a rigorous and coherent body of work, nourished by literature, never inspired by immediate and sensational current affairs, making him one of the most interesting photographers of his generation. The Balkans, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, Central America, Russia, China and the Antarctic (first artistic mission in the Kerguelen islands) can be read as many successive steps of an in-depth study of a patient proximity to the encountered real. His images have been shown in such leading institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Photography of Tokyo, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, the Rencontres d’Arles, the Museum of Photography in Helsinki, the Fine Arts Museum in Canton, the Musée Beaubourg, the Museum of Texas Tech University…

His many books include East to East (published simultaneously by Actes Sud, Dewi Lewis, Petliti, Braus, Apeiron & Lunwerg with a text by Erri de Luca), Entre Parenthèses, (Photo Poche, Actes Sud), Transverses, (Maison Européenne de la Photographie) and Balkans -Transit, with a text by François Maspero (Seuil).

Since 1995, Sluban has been photographing teenagers in jails. In each prison he organizes workshops with the young offenders to share his passion.

First originated in France, in the prison of Fleury-Mérogis with support of Henri Cartier-Bresson during 7 years, as well as Marc Riboud and William Klein punctually. This commitment was pursued in the disciplinary camps of Eastern Europe –Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldavia, Latvia – and in the disciplinary centres of Moscow and St Petersburg as well as in Ireland. From 2007 to 2012, Sluban has been working in Central America with imprisoned youngsters belonging to maras (gangs) in Guatemala and Salvador. In 2015, he started photogrphing imprisoned teeangers in Brazil.

In 2013, the musée Niépce showed a retrospective of K.Sluban’s work, After Darkness, 1995-2012.

In 2015/16, he was awarded the Villa Kujoyama Residence in Kyoto, Japan. K.Sluban is member of national and international jurys, such as prix Niépce, prix de la Jeune Photographie de Niort, prix Leica, All About Photo…
 

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MG Vander Elst
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Ellen Cantor
United States
Thibault Gerbaldi
As a self-taught photographer and avid traveler, my journey into the world of photography began with a deep-seated passion for art. Captivated by the diverse cultures and landscapes I encountered during my extensive travels, photography naturally became my chosen medium for documenting these experiences. Driven by a desire to educate others about different cultures and make a positive impact, I embarked on a mission to utilize my photography to support charitable causes. Joining the board of directors for The Forgotten International in 2019, I sought to leverage my skills to raise funds for those in need. Through the sale of books and prints, I aimed to shed light on the struggles faced by communities in developing countries and contribute to meaningful projects. One such project took my wife and me to Ethiopia, where we embarked on a journey to create a photographic book titled "Crossroads." This project aimed to explore the intricate balance between tradition and modernity, the resilience of youth, and the wisdom of elders in Ethiopian society. Our experiences, captured through the lens of my camera, offered a profound insight into the diverse cultures and people of Ethiopia. Since then, I have continued my photographic endeavors, self-publishing three books over the last three years. Each book, including "Crossroads," explores different corners of the globe, from the deserts of Namibia to the icy landscapes of Greenland, capturing the unique essence of each destination through my lens. Through my photography, I strive to inspire others, evoke emotions, and make a positive impact on the world around me. Currently, I am immersed in a new project titled "Faces of Peru," partly focusing on the "la Sagrada Familia" orphanage in Ventanillas. This endeavor holds personal significance for me as I am actively involved in supporting this charitable institution.
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AAP Magazine #39 Shadows
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