Travel - Liz Loh-Taylor (Australia)

Shot in Ethiopia, reflecting the coexistence of tribal cultures with roots stemming back centuries and modernisation/westernisation, a vast phenomenon that is spreading like wild fire in many developing countries. This is a long-term project that will continue to explore these themes. ‘Co-existence or Convergence’ is a personal project examining cultural change, starting in Africa, where traditions and beliefs that transcend time, are now co-existing and converging with the modern world. I am fascinated by the idea of coexistence versus convergence, whether a certain way of life can be maintained and balanced with the new influences that development brings. Modernisation is a phenomenon occurring across most of the developing world. The sharing of information across the globe fuels this. Globalisation fuels this. The need to improve economic conditions of those around us, whether at their expense in the long term, fuels this. The need for poverty alleviation, fuels this. Africa is changing, at a rapid pace. Some embrace it others denounce it…

Copyright: © Liz Loh-Taylor/Courtesy Sony World Photography Awards 2011