Photography: Girl power
"Power Punch Girls" showcases pictures taken during Gudzowaty's trip to India in December 2006. It attempts to show a different perspective of female boxing, a sport many people still associate with cheap erotic entertainment. Gudzowaty tries to capture the charm and elegance of the girls in the ring as well as their passion for the sport and hard work they put into it.
The sports center where the photos were taken, Lal Bahadur in the state of Kerala, is run by one of the best coaches in the country, Chandra Lal, and attracts young girls from across southern India. Many of Lal Bahadur's trainees have boxed at the national level, and one of them, K. C. Lekha won a gold medal at the female boxing world championships in New Delhi last year.
Female boxing poses a challenge for the conventions of India's patriarchal society, but at the same time it gives young girls a chance to improve their social status. Although few of them choose a professional boxing career, for many of them their experience in the ring makes it easier to find a job in the police force or a security agency, occupations traditionally dominated by males.
Born in 1971, Tomasz Gudzowaty has won several World Press Photo prizes.
"Power Punch Girls" is open until 12 April, at Yours Gallery, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiecie 33, Warsaw.
