rj muna receives numerous awards and cover placement from graphis photography awards 2023
RJ Muna is not only known for his gravity-defying shots of contemporary ballet dancers in flight—he’s loved for them. Last week, the Graphis Photography Awards announced Muna as the recipient of a windfall: eight awards in Platinum, Gold, and Silver, and his image for Alonzo King LINES Ballet adorning the 2023 Graphis Photography book cover.
Since it was established in 1944, the Graphis Institute has been awarding global practitioners in design, advertising, photography, and illustration in a variety of categories and competitions. Every year, Graphis showcases works from their growing archive of over 150,000 individual pieces by established and emerging image makers, and for the last several, Muna has been well represented.
The book cover image is a personal favorite of Muna’s. “I love it as a photograph. We didn’t have any costumes in this shoot, just big pieces of fabric that we were trying to communicate movement with. This image has the feeling of an animal or a butterfly, and the dancer’s face just peeking out a tiny bit makes it. When we saw it on set, we all gasped and said, ‘That’s the one, we can go home now.’”
In addition the the LINE’s photos, Muna had several dance shots from ODC and Post:Ballet awarded, and a portrait for client Jodi Lamask, titled Capacitor, that took home Silver. “I feel like my aesthetic aligns with Graphis,” says Muna. “They’re often looking for a standalone image that could be made into an art poster without needing much context. I really love the LINE’s image showcased on the cover, and am so happy it is being recognized in this way.”
Congratulations, RJ!