Bianchi’s reportage project shows violence and unrest in Kiev’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti, also known as Independence Square, after it was stormed by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian protestors.
In his artist’s statement on the project, Bianchi talks about witnessing the repeated destruction and rebuilding of barricades by police and protestors as the tide of conflict ebbed back and forth.
Bianchi said: ‘Every photographer’s dream is to have his or her work noticed and respected. I love the work of Terry O’Neill – he is a master. To meet him and spend time with him talking about my work was a lot of fun, and an honour.’
Terry O’Neill himself described Bianchi’s work as ‘amazing’ and ‘world-class’, adding that he expected big things form the Italian photographer in the future.
Bianchi is set to return to Ukraine soon to report on new developments in the region. He plans to join a Ukrainian military camp near Kiev and follow a battalion to the front line.
Spanish photographer Miguel Angel Sanchez was awarded First Runner-Up for a project titled Gaza/The box, a portraiture series depicting the people of Gaza.
Javier Arcenillas, last year’s runner-up, won Second Runner-Up this time for a series on wild horses living near Spanish mountains, while British photographer Rob Pearson-Wright won in the Mobile Device category for a b&w street series titled Universal Language.
All of the works shortlisted for the Terry O’Neill Award 2014, which is held in partnership with The Guardian newspaper, are being displayed at the Strand Gallery in London until February 1.
For more information on the Terry O’Neill Award, visit the Award’s official website.