Photograph with Castells Wins 3rd Prize at IPA Awards

Photographer David Oliete decided to bring the activity of the human towers to this worldwide competition. “We have to get used to the fact that the castells (human towers) are a Catalan tradition that has been spreading all over the world,” he explains.

Photographer David Oliete had this photograph of the pinya (pine cone) of the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls win third prize in one of the categories of the prestigious North American IPA Awards, which were recently awarded. “I always thought that castells convey many things, not only on a cultural level, but also regarding feelings and emotions, and that we have to get used to the fact that they are part of our worldwide heritage,” he said.

The photograph awarded with the third prize in the One Shot-Spaces category was taken during the castling competition in Tarragona, from a footbridge on the Tarraco Arena Square. “The theme of the competition was “space,” and you were allowed to submit just one photograph,” he explains. The winning photographs will be on display in Los Angeles during the month of April, with the an opening ceremony being planned for March 30th.

“I am very happy, I would have never imagined winning an IPA, and I am very happy for the winning theme, because I was able to project the Catalan culture abroad,” he added. Oliete, in fact, already had taken the world of castling to the Seoul International Extreme-Short Film Festival, with the documentary Som Castells (We are castlers,) where it was chosen as one of the finalists. “It was incredible to be able show castling in Korea. Foreigners are amazed when they see them. I wish we could export them more around the world,” he added.

David Oliete’s winning photograph at the IPA Awards. Photo: David Oliete. 

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Source: www.naciodigital.cat