ROSL Photography Competition 2021
International Friendship
10 December - 6 February 2022
Tirtha Lawati, Nyauli, 2021 (Camera Winner)
Soumya Ranjan Bhattacharyya | Chinmoy Biswas | Debarun Biswas | Debdatta Chakraborty | Sandipani Chattopadhyay | Mithail Afrige Chowdhury | Charlotte Dobson | Aravindan Ganesan | S R Hossain | MD Shamim Ul Islam | Syed Mahabubul Kader | Tirtha Lawati | Isabel Okoro | Clair Robins | Shubhodeep Roy | Greg Semu | Mussa Uwitonze
The shared stories behind each of the photographs on display in this exhibition provide a global insight into the perceived idea of what international friendship truly looks like in 2021. Without the prospect of long-distance travel on the horizon during the impact of the pandemic we are met with a series of heightened connections, wrought with sadness, humour, empathy … humanity. We have been in lockdown, solitude, isolation and fear but we have also felt community, spirit and resolve.
ROSL ART’s biennial open submission photography competition has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2019, doubling in size with over 500 entries from 40 countries.
Our six international industry judges; Sunil Gupta, Rakesh Mohindra, Germaine Walker (all London), Farah Mahbub (Pakistan), Veerle Poupeye (Jamaica) and Sarker Protick (Bangladesh) assessed the plethora of quality submissions taken over the past year in preparation for this shortlisted exhibition.
ROSL Photography Competition 2021, installation view, ROSL Clubhouse, London
Mithail Afrige Chowdhury, I am here for you, 2021
Debarun Biswas. Reunion Place, 2021 (Mobile Winner)
Shubhodeep Roy, In a Distant Land, 2021 (Madiha Aijaz Prize Winner)
Mussa Uwitonze, Bring hope back home, 2021
2021 Selected Winners
CAMERA
Tirtha Lawati (b. 1997, Hangsari, Panchthar, Nepal), based in Warwickshire, UK
MOBILE
Debarun Biswas (b. 1995, Naihati, India), based in Naihati, India
MADIHA AIJAZ PRIZE
Shubhodeep Roy (b. 2001, Kolkata, India), based in Kolkata, India
Isabel Okoro, Tarwka!, 2021
Tirtha Lawati, Sons of Gurkhas, 2020
Debdatta Chakraborty, Friends, 2020
Debarun Biswas, Washerman, 2021
S R Hossain, Journey in the Mist Morning, 2020
Greg Semu, Looking Through the Window / A Portrait of Tereza Crvenković, 2021
Soumya Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Simple Pleasures, 2021
MD Shamim Ul Islam, When Dreams Are Birds, Then They Fly Away, 2020
Sandipani Shibani Chattopadhyay, Colonial Cousins, 2021
Chinmoy Biswas, Early Friendship, 2021
Aravindan Ganesan, Friends, 2021
Syed Mahabubul Kader, Humanity, 2021
Charlotte Dobson, Guidance and Support, 2021
Clair Robins, First Proper Hug, 2021
Clair Robins, Polly & Dolly, 2021
ROSL ARTS wishes to thank all those who have contributed to this competition and the many creative voices both behind and in front of the camera.
This project is supported by the ROSL Trust (Charity no. 306095)
For more information on ROSL Photography Competition or the shortlist exhibition contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.