Tallinn Photomonth announced the winning work of the public urban space photo project. The winning work turned out to be the project “My Hut is on the Edge” by Katerina Kouzmitcheva, a Belarusian photographer working in Poland. A total of 53 projects from 28 different countries were submitted to the competition. Kulla Laas, the artistic director of Tallinn Photomonth and member of the board of FOKU commented that the international scale and interest for of the competition was both a pleasant surprise and a record so far. The winning project was distinguished from the other works primarily by its unusual venue, exploratory visual form and socially critical content, which invites public transport passengers to think about empathy.
Katerina Kouzmitcheva’s urban space installation “My Hut is on the Edge” focuses on the growing ubiquity of society and its effects. The photographer highlights how people today often ignore the social and political issues around them, whether it’s brought on by fear, ignorance or learned helplessness. The winning project takes place in two trams in Tallinn and its purpose is to emphasize the importance of empathy and its role in promoting community development and tolerance. Through the installation, Kouzmitcheva wants to invite the audience to metaphorically sit in someone else’s chair, trying to understand what shapes the attitudes and actions of people in society. Katerina Kouzmitcheva’s urban space installation “My Hut is on the Edge” will take place in the trams Eri Klas and Anne Veski from October 15 to November 26 during public transport times.