#ingunseenfoolforlove: Composition with two oranges wins Instagram competition
20 December 2016
Photography lovers could post their interpretation of the theme ‘Fool for Love’ during the ING Unseen Instagram competition. Visual artist and photographer Emily Cole emerged as the winner from more than 450 submissions.
Winning photo of the ING Unseen Instagram competition by Emily Cole from London.
The ING Unseen Instagram competition is a spin-off of the ING Unseen Talent Award, created by ING and Unseen for new photography talent. This year’s theme was ‘Fool for Love’. Photography lovers on Instagram, as well as the finalists in the ING Unseen Talent Award were asked to give their interpretations of this theme.
It relates to pursuing your dreams, being passionate about your goals and being devoted to what you do. It celebrates those times when we throw caution to the wind while simultaneously trying to make sense of life.
Entries from all over the world
More than 450 submissions were received for the ING Unseen Instagram competition, which ran between 28 November and 12 December using the hashtag #ingunseenfoolforlove. Participants came from 24 countries, representing every continent.
The submissions were appraised by Sanne ten Brink (head curator ING Collection) and Emilia van Lynden (head of Artistic Affairs, Unseen).
The winning photograph by Emily Cole (London, UK) was selected because it deals with the theme in a playful and humorous manner.
“The image is both striking and amusing,” said Ten Brink.
Cole describes her photo as a “fool for love at the hand of your lover, taking a humorous approach to the masochistic relationship”.
Everyone is a little bit of a fool for love, she explains. “I think we've all been there, staying with or going back to someone who is bad for us.”
Her prize is a trip for two people to the Unseen Photo Fair & Festival 2017 in Amsterdam next September.
Honourable mentions
Four other photos received an ‘honourable mention’. According to the judges, all the images depicted the theme in an artistic and thought-provoking way, avoiding visual clichés.
James Parker and Mariana both showed love is not always easy. Their photos address love crossing its moral boundaries and that moment when it’s over – when he told me “I don’t love you anymore”. The other two images are more evocative. Could Mauricio F. Corrida’s image be of his anonymous muse? And perhaps David Abrahams is showing the more physical side of love?
Photo by Mariana (country unknown)
Photo by Mauricio F. Corrida (Germany)
Photo by David Abrahams (UK)
Scroll through all submitted photos on Instagram.