Matt Black Wins the W. Eugene Smith Grant

American photographer Matt Black won the annual $30 000 grant from the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, Time reports.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to receive this grant. The support this grant gives my work is invaluable.” — Black said.

A 45-year-old photographer has been documenting the life in the California’s Central Valley for the past two decades. He aims to draw attention to the economic hardship that the local population is facing.

His works became popular last year after they were published on Instagram. Black was awarded prizes on photo contests and presented his works at the exhibitions all over the world. Among other awards, he was called the best Instagram photographer of Time magazine. Several months earlier, with support from MSNBC, the Magnum Foundation, the Pulitzer Center, Black took his project across America, visiting 70 cities where the poverty rate is above 20%.

William Eugene Smith Memorial Fund was established in 1980 and issues annual grants for contribution to humanistic photography.

Toledo, OH. Toledo is a city in Lucas County, Ohio. The population is 287,208 and 27.2% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Авг 19 2015 в 10:04 PDT

Binghamton, NY. "At approximately 12:22 a.m. Friday, police responded to the Antler Lodge, located at 201 Chenango St, for a report of shots fired. James High, 33, of Binghamton, was found lying on the sidewalk in front of the building with gunshot wounds to the torso, police said. He died shortly after being taken to the hospital." Binghamton is a city in Broome County, New York. The population is 47,376 and 33.3% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Авг 5 2015 в 7:28 PDT

Knoxville, TN. “It’s getting back to that way where they are treating people differently. Racism is flaring back up again. They have to lose that pride.” Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee. The population is 178,874 and 23.1% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июл 12 2015 в 7:17 PDT

Brownsville, TX. "To come here is supposedly to have a better life. Well, there is not a lot of work, just a little, and it’s not well paid, and to live here is very expensive. There are a lot of people who don’t have the ability to move up." Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas. The population is 175,023 and 35.3% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июл 2 2015 в 7:53 PDT

Brownsville, TX. “My husband didn’t have a job and he wanted to work in the drug business and I told him that we should go to the US instead. That's why we came here. Can you imagine what would have become of us? We might not even be alive.” Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas. The population is 175,023 and 35.3% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июн 30 2015 в 6:22 PDT

Brownsville, TX. Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas. The population is 175,023 and 35.3% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июл 1 2015 в 6:08 PDT

The Geography of Poverty USA – Brownsville, TX. Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas. The population is 175,023 and 35.3% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июл 3 2015 в 7:01 PDT

The Geography of Poverty USA — San Juan County, NM. Loan shop. San Juan County's population is 130,044 and 22.4% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июн 12 2015 в 6:00 PDT

The Geography of Poverty USA – Sunrise Manor, NV. Boots. Sunrise Manor is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada. The population is 189,372 and 24.1% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июн 3 2015 в 8:43 PDT

The Geography of Poverty USA – Oil field. Bakersfield, CA. Kern County's fields produce one in every 12 barrels of domestic oil. Deep shale drilling releases into the air compounds that cause smog, respiratory problems, and cancer. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Май 31 2015 в 3:43 PDT

The Geography of Poverty USA – Ducor, CA. Fallowed fields. Ducor is a town in Tulare County, California. The population is 612 and 41.4% live below the poverty level. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Июн 1 2015 в 7:22 PDT

Fence post. Allensworth, CA. 35°51'53"N 119°23'21"W #geographyofpoverty Allensworth is an unicorporated community in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 471 at the 2010 census. Residents have a $7,274 per capita income and 54% live below the poverty level. Founded in 1908 by Lt. Col. Allen Allensworth, an ex-slave and Buffalo Soldier, the self-sufficient community he envisioned foundered for lack of water and protracted land disputes with the Santa Fe Railroad. www.geographyofpoverty.com

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Май 22 2014 в 8:47 PDT

Farmworker camp. Alpaugh, CA. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Мар 4 2014 в 1:28 PST

Homeless camp. Fresno, CA. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Фев 6 2014 в 8:41 PST

Guard dog. Mendota, CA. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Янв 16 2014 в 8:44 PST

Country road. Lindsay, CA. #geographyofpoverty

Фото опубликовано Matt Black (@mattblack_blackmatt) Дек 31 2013 в 11:39 PST