Mads Nissen's Photograph Captures Boy on Colombian Court

Danish photographer Mads Nissen selected a photograph taken in 2017 of a nine-year-old boy named Didiller on a basketball court in Colombia as his best work. Nissen, who developed a passion for photography at 19 while studying Spanish and volunteering in Venezuela, was driven by a desire to explore the world and advocate for social and political change. He found photography to be the ideal medium to promote his values and effect positive transformations.

Nissen's interest in Colombia grew alongside his curiosity about the country's internal civil war and instability. He later traveled to Colombia for a project focused on the Amazon rainforest. In 2016, he was commissioned by the Nobel Peace Center to document the concluding phases of the peace process. His work also addressed the millions displaced by the conflict. However, Nissen felt that a comprehensive understanding of Colombia's turmoil and inequality necessitated an examination of the impact of its cocaine production.

Reflecting on the photograph of Didiller, Nissen noted that he returned to the area years later to inquire about the boy but was unable to find him. He was informed that Didiller had reportedly been killed. This detail underscores the complex and often tragic realities present in regions affected by conflict and illicit economies, a theme Nissen has explored in his broader photographic endeavors.