Crying Girl on the Border;
World Press Photo of the Year
Crying Girl on the Border; Honduran toddler Yanela Sanchez cries as she and her mother, Sandra Sanchez, are taken into custody by the US border officials in McAllen, Texas, USA on 12 June. Photo by John Moore

The Dutch cultural centre in Jakarta, Erasmus Huis, welcomed the World Press Photo Exhibition 2019 showcasing the World Press Photo Story of the Year for the first time.

Established in the city of Amsterdam in 1955, World Press Photo is a global non-profit foundation linking professionals and audiences through the best pictures depicting visual journalism and storytelling. 

The Migrant Caravan
Photo Story of the Year 
The Migrant Caravan; The Migrant Caravan: during October and November 2018, thousands of Central American migrants joined a caravan heading to the US border. The caravan, assembled through a grassroots social media campaign, left San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on 12 October 2018, and as word spread drew people from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. Photo by Pieter Ten Hoopen, Agence VU
 the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi
General News, singles winner 
An unidentified man tries to hold back the press on 15 October, as Saudi investigators arrive at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, amid a growing international backlash to the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Photo by Chris McGrath, Australia 

It all began with a group of Dutch photographers who shared their passion with international audiences through a photo contest. This competition has since become the world’s most prestigious photography award with an expansive mission. 

Geared with an expanded missionary work in the fields of democracy, diversity and creative journalism, the organisation returned to Jakarta presenting the best visual journalism of the Year, and for the first time, the World Press Photo Story of the Year. The winners have been chosen by an independent jury that has reviewed more than 78,801 photographs entered by 4,738 photographers from 129 countries.

Petronella Chigumbura, an elite member of the all-female conservation ranger force known as Akashinga that operates in Zimbabwe’s Lower Zambezi
Environment, singles winner
Petronella Chigumbura, an elite member of the all-female conservation ranger force known as Akashinga that operates in Zimbabwe’s Lower Zambezi, undergoes sniper movement and concealment training in the bush near their base. Akashinga (meaning the ‘Brave Ones’) is a community-driven conservation model, empowering disadvantaged women to restore and manage a network of wilderness areas as an alternative to trophy hunting. Photo by Brent Stirton
Frogs with their legs severed struggle to the surface, surrounded by frogspawn, after being thrown back into the water in Covasna,
Nature, singles winner
Frogs with their legs severed struggle to the surface, surrounded by frogspawn, after being thrown back into the water in Covasna, Romania. Photo by Bence Mate

Pictures with the stories that matter selected for the contest are captured by 43 photographers from 25 countries, which are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela. Out of the nominees, 14 photographers are women, giving it a boost of 32 per cent which portrays a significant increase from the 2018 Photo Contest with only 12 per cent female nominees. 

“World Press Photo has the great task of drawing the world’s attention to the stories that matter, each year”, Paul Moakley said, Editor at large for Special Projects at TIME and 2019 Photo Contest jury member.

Contemporary Issues, third prize
An Afghan refugee comforts his companion while waiting for transport across the eastern border of Iran on 27 July 2018. Photo by Enayat Asadi

The prize-winning pictures are presented in an exhibition visiting around 100 cities in about 45 countries over the course of the year and seen by more than four million people worldwide. These pictures will be showcased at the exhibition room of Erasmus Huis during its opening hour.

The three nominees for the new World Press Photo Story of the Year award include The Lake Chad Crisis by Marco Gualazzini (Italy); The Migrant Caravan by Pieter Ten Hoopen (Netherlands/Sweden); and Yemen Crisis by Lorenzo Tugnoli (Italy).

The jury also nominated three single images and three stories in each of the eight categories of the 2019 Photo Contest; Contemporary Issues, General News, Environment, Nature, Long-Term Projects, Portraits, Spot News and Sports.

The exhibition opens to public on 6 – 26 September free of charge. Get in touch with Oxalis Atindriyaratri: jak-comm@minbuza.nl for more inquiries. 

Visiting Hours:
Monday – Thursday
9am – 4pm

Friday & Saturday:
9am – 2pm

Sunday & Public Holidays:
closed

Erasmus Huis

Jl.HR. Rasuna Said Kav. S-3, Kuningan
South Jakarta

Asyariefah R.A.

Asyariefah R.A.

Born into a nature-loving family, Asyariefah enjoys the outdoors. Now! Jakarta provides her favourite collection of narratives with a sense of helping establish her identity. Some of her key areas of expertise include human interest, arts & culture, travel and features.