Johanna Alarcón (1992) is a freelance photojournalist and visual storyteller based in Ecuador. Johanna´s work is focused on social justice, human rights, identity, and gender-related issues. She is a World Press Photo Winner, National Geographic Explorer, and member of Ayün Fotógrafas, Visura.Co, Fotoféminas, Women Photograph, and Diversify Photo.
She is an Inge Morath Award Winner, Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Program Fellowship, Community Awareness Award Winner POY International, Joop Swart Masterclass World Press Photo participant, and selected 6x6 Global Talent South America. She is the author of ¨Cimarrona: Soy Negra porque el sol me miró¨ published by KWY. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Da Volkskrant, and Reuters, among others. She is a UN Women photographer and was selected for the New York Times portfolio review (2019), Eddie Adams, and Women Photograph Workshop (2019). Her work has been exhibited in World Press Photo Ámsterdam, Verzaca Foto Festival Switzerland, Photoville Festival NYC, Latin American Photography Festival Bronx Documentary Center, and Montevideo Photography Center.
Her recognitions include Photobook of the Year POY Latam, Finalist PH Museum Women Grant, Nominated for Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Winner Health Category POY Latam, FotoEvidence Book Award - CovidLatam, Grantee of COVID-19 Magnum Foundation Found, Open Society and Gabo Foundation's fund for investigations and new narratives on drugs, Will Riera Award, Everyday Projects and Visura Co Mentorship, AECID Africamericanos Grantee Ecuador.
Currently, she works on assignments, teaching, and her projects.
She is an Inge Morath Award Winner, Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Program Fellowship, Community Awareness Award Winner POY International, Joop Swart Masterclass World Press Photo participant, and selected 6x6 Global Talent South America. She is the author of ¨Cimarrona: Soy Negra porque el sol me miró¨ published by KWY. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Da Volkskrant, and Reuters, among others. She is a UN Women photographer and was selected for the New York Times portfolio review (2019), Eddie Adams, and Women Photograph Workshop (2019). Her work has been exhibited in World Press Photo Ámsterdam, Verzaca Foto Festival Switzerland, Photoville Festival NYC, Latin American Photography Festival Bronx Documentary Center, and Montevideo Photography Center.
Her recognitions include Photobook of the Year POY Latam, Finalist PH Museum Women Grant, Nominated for Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Winner Health Category POY Latam, FotoEvidence Book Award - CovidLatam, Grantee of COVID-19 Magnum Foundation Found, Open Society and Gabo Foundation's fund for investigations and new narratives on drugs, Will Riera Award, Everyday Projects and Visura Co Mentorship, AECID Africamericanos Grantee Ecuador.
Currently, she works on assignments, teaching, and her projects.
2023 - World Press Photo Regional Winner (Open Format)
2023 - Photographer of the Year Latinamerica, Photobook of the year
2023 - Honorable Mention Gender and Identity POY Latam
2022 - Inge Morath Award Magnum Foundation
2022 - Shortlisted PH Museum Women Photograph Grant2021 - Selected for Photography and Social Justice Program Magnum Foundation
2021 - Selected National Geographic Explorer
2021 - FotoEvidence & World Press Photo Book Award - CovidLatam
2021 - Grantee of COVID-19 Magnum Foundation Found
2021 - Photographer of the Year International Community Awareness Award
2021 - Photographer of the Year Latinamerica, First Place Health Category
2020 - Selected participant / Joop Swart Masterclass World Press Photo Foundation
2020 - Selected for National Geographic COVID-19 Emergency Found for Journalists as member of Ayün Fotógrafas and Fluxus Foto
2019 – Selected World Press Photo 6X6 Talent South America
2019 - Selected participant/ Woman Photograph Workshop (Quito, Ecuador)
2019 – Will Riera Award / Eddie Adams Workshop (New York, USA)
2019 - Selected participant/ Eddie Adams Workshop (New York,USA)
2019 – Visura. Co Artist Residence (Brooklyn, NYC)
2019 – Visura. Co Artist Residence (Brooklyn, NYC)
2019 – Selected participant /New York Times Portfolio Review / USA
2019 – Selected participant/ Women Photograph Workshop
2018 – Mentee/ Everyday Projects Mentorship
2018 – Member / Fotógrafas Latinoamericanas
2018 – Winner / Afroamericanos / AECID (Ecuador)
2018 – Selected tutor/ 20 photographers (Concepción, Bolivia)
2017 – Jury/ Juan Antonio Serrano photojournalism award (students, category)
2017 – Selected participant/ “Visión y Expresión Fotográfica” Workshop / Gihan Tubbet – Festival Gabo (Medellín,Colombia)
2017 – Winner / Arts and cultural projects / Cultural Secretary (Quito, Ecuador)
2017 – Honor mention/ RM Photobook Contest / RM Editorial (Spain)
2016 – Member/ Photographic Museum of Humanity
2016 – Winner / Juan Antonio Serrano photojournalism Award (Ecuador)
2018 – Mentee/ Everyday Projects Mentorship
2018 – Member / Fotógrafas Latinoamericanas
2018 – Winner / Afroamericanos / AECID (Ecuador)
2018 – Selected tutor/ 20 photographers (Concepción, Bolivia)
2017 – Jury/ Juan Antonio Serrano photojournalism award (students, category)
2017 – Selected participant/ “Visión y Expresión Fotográfica” Workshop / Gihan Tubbet – Festival Gabo (Medellín,Colombia)
2017 – Winner / Arts and cultural projects / Cultural Secretary (Quito, Ecuador)
2017 – Honor mention/ RM Photobook Contest / RM Editorial (Spain)
2016 – Member/ Photographic Museum of Humanity
2016 – Winner / Juan Antonio Serrano photojournalism Award (Ecuador)
2015 – Talker / Young TED-ex (Quito, Ecuador)
EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Collective exhibition World Press Photo - Ámsterdam
2023 - Verzaca Foto Festival - Switzerland
2023 - Solo exhibition ¨Cimarrona, Soy negra porque el sol me miró - Arte Actual FLACSO (Quito, Ecuador)
2023 - Solo exhibition ¨Cimarrona, Soy negra porque el sol me miró - Arte Actual FLACSO (Quito, Ecuador)
2022- Collective exhibition ¨Colores¨ - Centro Cultural Metropolitano (Quito, Ecuador)
2022 - Collective exhibition ¨Dar a luz¨ de Ayün fotógrafas - Vist Projects (México DF)
2021- Collective exhibition - Africamericanos at Montevideo Photography Center (Montevideo, Uruguay)
2020 - Collective exhibition COVID LATAM i3rd Annual Latin America Photo Festival organized by Bronx Documentary Center (Bronx, NYC)
2019 - Collective exhibition/ Mujeres más que fotógrafas (Bogotá, Colombia)
2019 – Exhibition / Photoville Emerging Cubes (Brooklyn, NYC)
2019 – 2nd Annual Latin America Photo Festival organized by Bronx Documentary Center (Bronx, NYC)
2019 – Collective exhibition / Arde (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2018 – Collective exhibition /Lumix Festival / Native Agency (Hannover, Germany)
2018 – Collective exhibition /Foto Albúm ( Cuenca-Guayaquil, Ecuador)
2018 – Collective exhibition /“Back to the Market”/ Fundación Museos (Quito, Ecuador)
2018 – Collective exhibition/ ”Contaminados: Lo popular del arte”/ Anthropological Museum of Contemporary Art (Guayaquil, Ecuador)
2018 – Collective exhibition/ The 3×8 Behind the city/ Cumandá Urban Park (Quito, Ecuador)
2017 – Collective exhibition/ “Ciudades Visibles”/ Metropolitan Cultural Center (Quito, Ecuador)
2016 – Collective publication/ FLUZ Quito/ RM Editorial (Spain)
2016 – Collective exhibition/ “Mujeres Sanadoras” (Quito, Ecuador)
2016 – Collective exhibition/ “Mujeres Sanadoras” (Quito, Ecuador)
2016 – Collective exhibition/ “Espiritualidades” / USFQ & Museums Fundation (Quito, Ecuador)
2016 – Collective exhibition/ “Sucede cuando callamos” (Quito, Ecuador)
2015 – Photo Intervention / ELLA Encuentro Latinoamericano de Mujeres (Cochabamba, Bolivia)
2016 – Collective exhibition/ “Sucede cuando callamos” (Quito, Ecuador)
2015 – Photo Intervention / ELLA Encuentro Latinoamericano de Mujeres (Cochabamba, Bolivia)