Winners unveiled for ‘GBA vernacular architecture photo competition’

Eduardo Leal

The Center for Architecture and Urbanism (CURB) has unveiled the winners’ list of the Treasures of the Greater Bay – Vernacular Architecture in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Photography Competition 2024.

The contest, which included a total of 377 photographic works submissions, has seen Ji Xiang, Eduardo Leal, and Jingyi Xu crowned as the winners of the GBA Group, Macau Group, and Macau Student Group categories respectively.

In total, 157 photographers participated in CURB. The submissions from these participants were evaluated by a panel of experienced judges, who selected the best photographs in light of the competition’s theme, taking into account their artistic and technical qualities, as well as originality.

The results and photos of the winning entries are available on the competition’s website (https://competition.curb-center.com/) and on CURB’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
An award ceremony will be held at Ponte 9 – Creative Platform, at Rua das Lorchas, Ponte No.9 – 3/F, tomorrow, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m., where the winning works will be showcased.

Ji Xiang

The exhibition will be open to the public from then on and until Oct. 26, from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The Treasures of the Greater Bay photo competition was organized by CURB, challenging all photography enthusiasts to explore the architecture in the GBA and capture the buildings and spaces that make its eleven cities unique.

In the GBA Open Group category, winner Ji Xiang presented a monochromatic work depicting Hong Kong’s Tai O fishing village from a higher level, with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge appearing in the background.

Jingyi Xu

The winner of the Macau Group, Eduardo Leal, a Portuguese photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Macau, presented a striking photograph highlighting the intricate details of an old building in the Patane area. The image showcases a dramatic interplay of light and shadow, known as “chiaroscuro,” a technique adapted from classic painting methods used by masters like Rembrandt, da Vinci, and Caravaggio.

Chiaroscuro employs light and shadow to create an intense tridimensional effect over the subject portrayed.

Using a similar technique, Jingyi Xu, who won the local student category, presented a work titled “Zenith,” depicting a Chinese calligraphy banner lit by an ancient building’s skylight.