Ryan Prince, a student on the Documentary Photography and Photojournalism MA course, has received a bursary from the Martin Parr Foundation (MPF).
He was awarded the £1,000 bursary to continue his project ‘Can You Sit For Me?’ which explores representation and mass stereotyping within the media. The project aims to show black people documenting themselves to challenge typical stereotypes in the media such as black males being represented as violent or aggressive. Prince uses members of his family in the images.
The photographic bursary was launched earlier this year with the aim of supporting BAME photographers in the UK. Recipients will be able to start or develop a project as well as receive mentoring. They will also donate two prints from their projects to the MPF collection.
Submissions for the bursary were of such a high quality that the MPF added an extra one. The bursary further communicates the MPF’s remit to celebrate British documentary photography and to support unnoticed and emerging photographers who have made work that focuses on the British Isles.
Speaking about the opportunity, Prince said: “I was surprised when I received the congratulations email, but this then turned into excitement. I think this opportunity has given me added drive to continue my project and hopefully get my work seen by a wider audience which is important as my work deals with the themes of black representation.”
Learn about Art, Design and Visual Culture courses offered at the University of Westminster.
