GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Robin Hinsch
Robin Hinsch
WAHALA
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The Project Wahala, was shot in July/August 2019 in Nigeria. Especially in Lagos, Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta.
The Nigerdelta covers 20,000 km within wetlands of 70,000 km formed primarily by sediment deposition. Home to 20 million people and 40 different ethnic groups, this floodplain makes up 7.5% of Nigeria‘s total land mass. It is the largest wetland and maintains the third-largest drainage basin in Africa.
Once it was an incredibly well endowd ecosystem which contained one of the hightest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet.
Then the Oil industry discorved the area for their interests and the problems beginn to occur.
The Department of Petroleum Resources estimated 1.89 million barrels of petroleum were spilled into the Niger Delta between 1976 and 1996 out of a total of 2.4 million barrels spilled in 4,835 incidents. (approximately 220 thousand cubic metres). A UNDP report states that there have been a total of 6,817 oil spills between 1976 and 2001, which account for a loss of three million barrels of oil, of which more than 70% was not recovered. 69% of these spills occurred off-shore, a quarter was in swamps and 6% spilled on land.
So far no real actions has been taking place to clean up and renaturalize the niger delta. And the problems are still the same even growing. For example Oil Spills. Oil Spills are very common in Nigeria. Half of all spills occur due to pipeline and tanker accidents (50%), other causes include sabotage (28%) and oil production operations (21%), with 1% of the spills being accounted for by inadequate or non-functional production equipment. Corrosion of pipelines and tankers is the rupturing or leaking of old production infrastructures that often do not receive inspection and maintenance. A reason that corrosion accounts for such a high percentage of all spills is that as a result of the small size of the oilfields in the Niger Delta, there is an extensive network of pipelines between the fields, as well as numerous small networks of flowlines—the narrow diameter pipes that carry oil from wellheads to flowstations—allowing many opportunities for leaks. In onshore areas most pipelines and flowlines are laid above ground. Pipelines, which have an estimate life span of about fifteen years, are old and susceptible to corrosion. Many of the pipelines are as old as twenty to twenty-five years. Another Problem is the natural Gas Flaring. Nigeria flares more natural gas associated with oil extraction than any other country, with estimates suggesting that of the 3.5 billion cubic feet (100,000,000 m³) of associated gas (AG) produced annually, 2.5 billion cubic feet (70,000,000 m³), or about 70%, is wasted by flaring.This equals about 25% of the UK‘s total natural gas consumption and is the equivalent to 40% of Africa‘s gas consumption in 2001. Statistical data associated with gas flaring are notoriously unreliable, but Nigeria may waste US$2 billion per year by flaring associated gas.
Flaring is done as it is costly to separate commercially viable associated gas from the oil. Companies operating in Nigeria also harvest natural gas for commercial purposes but prefer to extract it from deposits where it is found in isolation as non-associated gas. Thus associated gas is burned off to decrease costs.
Gas flaring is generally discouraged as it releases toxic components into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. In western Europe 99% of associated gas is used or re-injected into the ground. Gas flaring in Nigeria began simultaneously with oil extraction in the 1960s by Shell-BP. Alternatives to flaring are gas re-injection or to store it for use as an energy source. If properly stored, the gas could be used for community projects.
Gas flaring releases of large amounts of methane, which has a high global warming potential. The methane is accompanied by the other major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, of which Nigeria was estimated to have emitted more than 34.38 million metric tons of in 2002, accounting for about 50% of all industrial emissions in the country and 30% of the total CO2 emissions. While flaring in the west has been minimized, in Nigeria it has grown proportionally with oil production.
I am using this scenery as a backdrop to develop a narrative in photographic images about the problems in Nigeria/Westafrica but also about the challenges of the 21st century. I worked there for 3 weeks starting in Lagos, travelling to Port Harcourt visiting the Nigerdelta. I have visited Gas Flaring Sites in Ughelli, artisinal refineries in Bodo and meet a lot of different communities in their unfortunately polluted environments.
About author:
Education:
2008-2009 HfG Karlsruhe Fotografie bei Prof. Elger Esser
2009-2011 Hochschule Hannover Fotografie bei Prof. Rolf Nobel & Prof. Ralf Mayer
2011-2014 HAW Hamburg Fotografie bei Prof. Kohlbecher
2013-2014 HfBK Hamburg Fotografie bei Prof. Silke Großmann
2014 HAW Hamburg Fotografie Bachelor Abschluss bei Prof. Ute Mahler & Vincent Kohlbecher
2014-now HAW Hamburg Master / Fotografie Prof. Vincent Kohlbecher
Teaching:
2014-2015 Leuphana University Lüneburg/Germany
2015-2016 Leuphana University Lüneburg/Germany
2016 Workshop Photofestival Zingst/Germany
2016 Workshop AdBK Nürnberg/Germany
2017 Workshop Klub der Künste, Deichtorhallen Hamburg/Germany
2017 Workshop Photofestival Zingst/Germany
2018 Workshop Photofestival Zingst/Germany
Lectures and Talks:
2015 Antikriegshaus, Hannover/Sievershausen
2015 Masterpieces, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg
2015 Artist-Talk /w Kirill Golovchenko, Haus der Photographie, Hamburg
2016 Deutsche Fotografische Akademie, Haus der Photographie, Hamburg
2016 Klub der Künste, Deichtorhallen Hamburg, Hamburg
2016 Artist-Talk, AdBK Nürnberg, Nürnberg
2017 Artist-Talk, EPEA: Shifting Boundaries, Körberforum, Hamburg
2017 Artist-Talk, Lange Nacht der Musseen, Haus der Photographie, Hamburg
2017 Artist-Talk, Anhaltische Gemäldegalerie, Dessau
2017 Lecture, RAW-Festival 17, Worpswede
2017 Lecture, HCU Hamburg, Hamburg
2018 Artist-Talk, Hometown e.V., Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Hannover
2018 Lecture, Photofestival Zingst/Germany
2019 Lecture, Creative Mornings, Hamburg
2019 Artist-Talk, Ame Nue Gallery, Hamburg
Awards/Preise/Förderungen/Scholarships:
2010 Deutscher Jugendfotopreis
2012 Kunstförderpreis der Hamburger Börse
2013 Goethe Institut / Dakar, Senegal, Arbeitsstipendium
2014 Leica Oskar Barnack Prize (Shortlist)
2014 Canon Profifoto Förderpreis
2014 International Photography Award Honorable Mention: Editorial / Photo Essay and Feature Story
2014 International Photography Award Honorable Mention: Editorial / War&Conflict
2014 International Photography Award 1. Place: Editorial / War&Conflict
2014 International Photography Award 1. Place: Editorial
2014 Lucie Awards Discovery of the Year (Finalist)
2015 European Exhibition Award (Epea 03)
2015 Leica Oskar Barnack Prize (Shortlist)
2015 Magnum Masterclass/Workshop Antoine D`agata
2015 International Media Center Scholarship / HAW Hamburg
2016 Henri Nannen Award (Shortlist)
2016 Athens Photofestival (Shortlist)
2016 International Photography Award Honorable Mention: War & Conflict
2016 Photography Magazine Grant 2016 (3. Place)
2016 Prix Pictet (Nominated)
2017 Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award (Shortlist)
2017 Athens Photofestival (Shortlist)
2018 Photolucida / Critical Mass
2018 Hansel Mieth Award / Honorable Mention
2018 Travel Scholarship / City of Hamburg
2019 Hansel Mieth Award / Honorable Mention
2019 Travel Scholarship / City of Hamburg
2019 The European Photoawards / Martin Parr Foundation
Collections:
Incite Project/Great Britain
DKW/ Kunstmuseum Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus
Books/Catalogues:
2009 Chronik, u.a. mit Elger Esser
2010 Architektur in Hannover
2011 Zoom, Junge Fotografie
2012 Für immer Jung, Deutscher Jugenfotopreis
2012 Kunst In der Börse
2014 Der Greif "A Process"
2015 Guest-Room: Katrin Weber / Der Greif
2016 EPEA, European Photo Exhibition Award
2017 Reisen mit Regierung, Edition Holprig
Published in:
Spiegel
UniSpiegel
KulturSpiegel
CNN
Rolling Stone
Musikexpress
National Geographic
Sueddeutsche Zeitung
Sueddeutsche Zeitung Magazin
Esquire Russia
SPEX
VICE
ZEIT
ZEIT CAMPUS
ZEIT MAGAZIN
DEBUG
INTRO
NEON
Exhibitions/Austellungen:
2009 Sommerloch, HfG Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe
2010 Strasbourg, Photokina, Köln
2010 Kröpcke, Architektur in Hannover, Hannover
2011 Krautzungen #1, Astra Stube, Hamburg
2011 Jede Pfütze dieses Sommers spiegelt mich wieder, Westwerk, Hamburg
2011 Wahnsinn, Schrecken, Vergnügen, Lokal Galerie, Hamburg
2012 Durch die Hölle mit..., Thalia Theater/Nachtasyl, Hamburg
2012 Apokalypse (light), Hinterconti, Hamburg
2012 Krieg und Frieden, Dockville, Hamburg
2012 Kowitsch, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg
2012 Strasbourg, Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin
2012 Kowitsch, Kunst in der Börse, Hamburg
2013 Last and Lost Poems, Dockville, Hamburg
2013 Its all over now, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg
2013 Von Mäusen und... wie hast du mich gerade genannt?, Kraniche bei den Elbbrücken, Hamburg
2013 Nebelungen, Island, Hamburg
2013 Pudel Art Basel, Pudel, Hamburg
2014 BIS EINER HEULT, Galerie 117, Hamburg
2014 DER GREIF 'A PROCESS', Neue Galerie im Höhmannhaus, Augsburg
2014 Kowitsch, HAW-Hamburg, Hamburg
2014 Odysseus wollte nicht nach Hause, Dockville, Hamburg
2014 Die Welt als Schwein, Dockville, Hamburg
2014 Hades und der Seher, Dockville, Hamburg
2014 Kowitsch, Tarnungssalon, Fleetstreet, Hamburg
2014 Kowitsch, Photokina, Köln
2014 Kowitsch, KB-Galerie/Projektraum, Leipzig
2015 Kowitsch, Guest Room, Galerie f5,6 , München
2015 Kobane, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg
2015 YALLA YALLA/The Experimental Jetset, Kraniche bei den Elbbrücken, Hamburg
2015 Die Unterirdischen, Dockville, Hamburg
2015 Kowitsch, PHOTOTRIENNALE HAMBURG, Hamburg
2015 The Artist is broke, Bender & Co, Berlin
2015 Aber sonst gehts gut, Galerie 21, Vorwerkstift, Hamburg
2015 Kobane, Antikriegshaus, Hannover/Sieverhausen
2015 Kowitsch, Ian Parry Scholarship, Hoxton Gallery, London
2016 Interzone, Galerie 117, Hamburg
2016 Kowitsch, European Photo Exhibition Award, Foundation Gulbenkian, Paris, France
2016 Kobane, RAW 16, Photofestival, Worpswede
2016 Provinz, RAW 16, Photofestival, Worpswede
2016 Kobane, Kunstmuseum Dkw Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus, Cottbus
2016 Kowitsch, European Photo Exhibition Award, Villa Argentina, Lucca, Viareggio, Italy
2016 Kowitsch, European Month of Photography, FOG-Documentaries Dispersed, Berlin
2016 UWAGA, Studio 45, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2017 Rituale im Kopfgarten, Westwerk, Hamburg
2017 Schlaglichter, Museum Junge Kunst, Frankfurt/Oder
2017 Kowitsch, European Photo Exhibition Award, Haus der Photographie, Hamburg
2017 Okomfo Adonko, Studio 45, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2017 Hammerbrook, State of mind, Schaltzentrale, Hamburg
2017 Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten, Galerie Speckmannstrasse, Hamburg
2017 Desaster des Krieges, Anhaltische Gemäldegalerie, Dessau
2017 I JUST WANT TO BE HOME, Artlakefestival, Lichterfeld
2017 Sabiq, At Tension Festival, Lärz
2017 Kowitsch, European Photo Exhibition Award, Nobel Peace Center, Oslo
2017 MASWUWLIA, Galerie Holprig, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2017 I JUST WANT TO BE HOME, Schaltzentrale, Hamburg
2017 Viel Spaß in der Zukunft, Galerie Melike Belir, Hamburg
2018 KRASNA, Studio 45, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2018 100 x Mona Lisa, Galerie Melike Belir, Hamburg
2018 BROOK, Hamburger Rathaus, Hamburg
2018 Wir verlassen die Erde, Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg
2018 Goodbye blue Sky, Ame Nue Galerie, Hamburg
2018 MASWUWLIA, Galerie Melike Bilir, Phototriennale, Hamburg
2018 Gartenparty, Studio 45, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2018 A Contemporary Reference of the Human Condition, Edition One Gallery, Santa Fe
2018 Die Welt ist düster, Westwerk, Hamburg
2018 JÌNDÙ, Studio 45, Künstlerhaus Wendenstraße, Hamburg
2018 Kowitsch, Ame Nue Galerie, Hamburg
2019 JÌNDÙ, Frappant Galerie, Hamburg
2019 SAPAD, Ame Nue Galerie, Hamburg
2019 MASWUWLIA, Right, BWA Galeria, Zielona Gora, Poland
2019 WAHALA, Galerie Holprig, Künstlerhaus Wendenstrasse, Hamburg
2019 MASWUWLIA, 1000 Wirklichkeiten, Haus der Photographie, Hamburg