May 8, 6 pm
Kuća Legata / Heritage House
Knez Mihailova 46, Belgrade
This is the 5th edition of our New Talents Contest, supported once again by Nikon Serbia, who have been with us since the 1st edition of the festival.
As with previous years, we have endeavoured to select a very eclectic jury team with 5 members: Paulina Anna Galanciak – President of the TIFF Collective Foundation, co-creator of the TIFF Festival, cultural animator, curator and photographer, Mikiko Kikuta – Artistic director of Shiogama Photography Festival in Miyagi and Setouchi International Photography Festival, Takamatsu in Japan and European Eyes on Japan/ Japan Today photography project and curator of Sado Island Galaxy Art Festival, Director of exhibitions for Kanzan gallery in Tokyo, Francesc Fàbregues – Photographer, member of the Promotion Committee of the National Plan for Photography of the Government of the Generalitat de Catalunya and Formentera Fotografica Festival Director, W.M.Hunt – Hunt is a champion of photography: a collector, curator and consultant. He teaches and lectures. He was on the board of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund and has been head judge twice and finally, Branimir Karanović – Photographer and Professor of Photography.
This year, for the first time, we include in our awards list a special award for the best local project (Serbian) that will also form part of our exhibition. The jury had the very difficult task of selecting the best 3 projects and the best local project from the 141 proposals (50 more than the last edition) that met the conditions to be part of the contest. Almost 60% of proposals were sent by women and 40% by men, with applications arriving from 32 different countries. The countries with the highest amount of proposals were Serbia (30%), Russia (22%), Italy (10%) and Brazil (5%).
For years, photography has never ceased to be the closest medium for us to expressing opinions, capturing reality, commenting on it and even transforming it according to our own rules. It is often a tool for expressing emotions – anger, discord, frustration, hope. It also continues to be a fascinating element of recording reality and a kind of chronicle of memory. It is everywhere and can be anything. And what is interesting – due to this universalism it does not lose strength, on the contrary – it still gains it, it is constantly updating itself to the latest realities.
That is why competitions for young photographers are so fascinating. They let you see the power of photography that is constantly reborn. It is an incessant current that thrills those who want to express, show, remember, forget, emphasise. Be heard. Thanks to it, we can witness the stories portrayed in the images, and at the same time see what is currently important for young people. What they are busy with, what bothers them and, going further – how their culture affects their perception of reality. They are interested, which is very natural, in themselves and the time of change, maturing and entering adulthood in which they are immersed. It often relates to topics of sexuality, family, relationships, emotionality, memory. Many of them also look more broadly – at their society, politics, ecology, the lifestyle we undertake or the impact of technology on it; some of them wonder where we are going and what the future brings us.
It is fascinating to see how young people use photography to give strength to their own voice. How they take on this visual form to show us their opinion. How they want to be heard, appreciated, noticed. How they search and are not satisfied with the casual answers. How mature they are in their approach to art, but also to life in general. I am very grateful for the courage and strength they have. And for photography, which allows them to get away from tight and specific words and name everything that is close and important to them in a different way.
Paulina Anna Galanciak
President of the TIFF Collective Foundation,
co-creator of the TIFF Festival, cultural animator, curator and photographer
1ST PLACE
ЛЮБОВЬ РАКШИНА
Ljubov Rakšina born 25th March, 1996, in Samara, Russia.
Studied at the photo school of Kristina Syrchikova at Victoria Gallery.
The main idea behind the photography is based on the theme of privacy: a diary, projects on the person’s inner experiences, family stories, and feminist projects.
Lives and works in Samara.
rakschina.ru
2ND PLACE
MAXIME MATTHYS
Maxime Matthys (born 1995, Belgium) is a visual artist working and living between Rennes and Paris. He is developing an artistic practice using photography, performance, videography and installation. His work focuses on the way technologies are affecting our daily life and are shifting our perception of reality. While exploring new forms of narrative, he keeps documenting the important issues that are shaping our future.
His work has been multi-awarded and exhibited in France, Canada, Lithuania, Poland, Malaysia, Korea, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Spain and published in various magazines and newspapers such as Le Monde, Libération, Fisheye Magazine, Polka Magazine, Médiapart, ArtInfo, etc.
His most recent work 2091: The Ministry of Privacy has won the Kaunas Photo Award in Lithuania and was exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, February 2020.
maximematthys.com
3RD PLACE
КРИСТИНА СЕРГЕЕВА
My name is Kristina Sergeeva and I was born on 4/2/1996 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I have been creating photographs since my school years and from 2017 I have been photographing at a more professional level. I graduated from the Academy of Photography in 2019.
I am an independent artist and have participated in a number of group exhibitions in Russia. I have devoted most of my photographic work to working on individual projects based on memory, PTSD, archival photographs, childhood, and the study of space and place.
kristina-sergeeva.ru
BEST LOCAL PROJECT
NAĐA REPMAN
Nadja Repman was born on February 14th, 2002 in Sombor, Serbia, where she is currently graduating from high school. She is actively involved in photography and videography. She was the official photographer of the 27th Theater Marathon 2019 and the 2nd Sombor Film Fest. She has captured a large number of photographs at various concerts, festivals and workshops (including concerts of the Music School, Terminal fest, ecological workshops in nature Planeta, Krigla fest and the 40th Sombor half marathon). She is currently engaged as a freelance photographer at the Sombor National Theater. She is primarily focused on authorial projects in the field of diverse visual arts.
@nadja.repman
IMPORTANT:
Please note that due to the Covid-19 situation nobody can enter the Gallery without wearing a mask as required by the Rep of Serbia regulations.
Visiting hours:
Tue – Fri / 14 – 19h
Sat – Sun / 12 – 15h
