Shortlist, Shadows of Kurdistan by Murat Yazar

"In 1916, The Sykes-Picot agreement separated Kurdistan into four parts. This division still exists for almost 30 million Kurds today. I was born in a Kurdish village in southeastern Turkey and, like millions of Kurds in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, I have encountered problems while trying to express my Kurdish identity and culture. We live in our land like shadows, without colour, which is why I decided to call this project Shadows of Kurdistan. I wanted to include images of daily life, alongside work that addresses the political situation in our cities and villages. It was also important to me that the vibrancy of Kurdish culture shone through. Ultimately, I hope to create an archive of my culture and homeland, uniting the four parts of Kurdistan."