Adriana Loureiro Fernandez, Venezuelan
Diego, 14, Manuel, 13, and Miguel Méndez, 16, fishing in Lake Maracaibo, which has been polluted by oil leaking from damaged pipelines, 2023
Adriana Loureiro Fernandez's photograph depicting brothers fishing in a contaminated lake against the backdrop of heavy oil machinery is striking in both its composition and its portrayal of the wealth disparity wrought by the oil industry in their community. The image reveals the siblings using rudimentary fishing nets and small boats, highlighting their limited resources for survival and simple human needs. This stands in stark contrast to the vast sums of money flowing into the expansive industry that is not only causing them physical harm but also perpetuating social inequalities. Label by Jackson Smith