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Still Life 2nd Place

La Visita
Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas
Series description

‘Don't bring anything, I just want you to come and visit me’ is one of the phrases most repeated by the inmates of Picsi prison, located in the city of Chiclayo in northern Peru. But many visitors do not want to arrive empty-handed, despite the strict controls. Guisella D explains how ‘I get up at five in the morning to cook fried fish with cassava, which is one of my husband’s favourite dishes. Then I go to the market to buy permitted fruits like bananas and oranges, and by six in the morning I am in the queue to enter the prison. Sometimes it is stressful: the lines are endless and the murderous sun and the earth ruin your skin. The only consolation is to arrive and meet my partner again. Then you forget about the shameful controls, and the sun, until next Sunday’. These images represent different visits; the tenderness, affection and the company of parents, brothers, children and wives. The one who visits also suffers.

Biography

Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas, Peruvian photographer living in Buenos Aires. Argentina He studied Communication Sciences, graduate of the Argentine School of Photography. Maci creates images that, according to him, are inspired by real events in his life and his daily surroundings and memories from his childhood. His work has won several awards, including Peruvian National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2015 & 2017, finalist for the Félix Schoeller Photography Award, and second place. at the Pride photography award.

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‘I bring the fish frozen so he can cook it inside. They only allow me to bring two oranges and two onions.’
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‘I leave work late, so I always go in at the end. I bring him a newspaper and money so he can buy food inside – if I bring more things it will take longer to check, and I will get in even later.’
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‘Today I bring chickpeas and heart. You can finish cooking them and make a stir-fry.’
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‘My husband has pharyngitis so I’m bringing candies with honey, as well as some pork ribs and beans. I hope he likes it!’
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‘You can take what the person you are visiting likes, but passing it on to them is another matter. There are many times when the fruit and vegetables remain at the entrance and do not get through.’
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‘Today I prepared dried lamb, as it is my son’s favourite dish.’
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‘Toilet paper can cost four times its normal price inside the prison.’