Celebrating women in photography – Carla Sutera Sardo

 

In 2023, Carla Sutera Sardo won The Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers. This category, introduced in 2021, aims to encourage and celebrate women photographers and is in memory of Claire Aho, Finland’s greatest women photographer.

Carla won the category with a powerful portrait. “There is so much strength and depth of expression in this beautiful older woman’s face,” says Caroline Kenyon, Founder of the Awards. “She sits, as immaculate as a model, in her kitchen, surrounded by beloved possessions. What stories can these four walls tell?”

For our latest blog, in celebration of International Women’s Day, we interviewed Carla about her photography journey and the story of that captivating winning photograph.

 

Photographer, Carla Sutera Sardo, won The Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers in 2023

 

How did you first get into photography, Carla?

I approached photography as a passion during my University years, studying between Palermo and Rome. After my first approach to self-portrait photography, I dedicated myself to greater experimentation, linked to what is most unusual and uncontaminated in Sicilian nature and I developed a personal language that allowed me to express my vision of things through the camera. In my photographs there are female bodies that dialogue with often uncontaminated nature. I love creating dream-like images, suspended in time. I like to create imaginaries far from reality, a little absurd if you like.

 

‘Adua’s Kitchen’, winner of The Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers, 2023. Taken by Carla Sutera Sardo at Adua’s home in Sicily

 

Tell us about the story behind the winning photograph. Who is the lady in the portrait in the photo and what is her story?

The story behind the photograph features Adua, a kind woman, as the protagonist. I have known her since I was a child and I have always been fascinated by her life. She was definitely an independent woman, she raised her four children alone but she never lost sight of the love for herself.

 

Tell us about the process of capturing the image.

I started photographing Adua during Covid at a time when she was forced to move from the house in Sicily where she had lived for 40 years. We retraced her life together through her memories. Every drawer emptied was a blast from the past. I am happy to have accompanied her in this sometimes painful phase of her life. The winning photo was taken in her kitchen. After having packed some boxes, we sat down and she told me about some happy moments spent within those walls. Afterwards I took the photo and her face looked melancholy.

 

What is your advice for women who would like to pursue a career in photography?

Not to be afraid to choose a path that may seem uncertain, because if you are guided by love for what you do you can never go wrong.

 

You can see all the previous finalists of The Claire Aho Award here.

Find out more about Claire’s life in our blog interview with her son, Jussi Brofeldt. Jussi is Chairman of Aho & Soldan Photo and Film Foundation and also a member of our distinguished judging panel for The Claire Aho Award.