18 september 2024, Flor Linckens
FUTURES: A Platform for Innovative Visual Art
This year, Unseen joins forces with FUTURES, a leading European platform that supports emerging photographers. During Unseen, FUTURES will showcase several of its most promising artists who participated in the FUTURES residency program this year.
FUTURES, founded in 2017, fosters the professional growth of photographers by connecting them with a broad network of professionals, institutions, as well as new markets and opportunities. The platform provides artists with a wide range of resources and expertise. The FUTURES Hub in Oostenburg, Amsterdam, serves as the platform’s headquarters. Each year, affiliated organizations select promising photographers to join the program.
By promoting these artists, FUTURES gives them international visibility and collaboration opportunities, acting as an incubator for innovative photography and strengthening ties between artists and the industry.
At the FUTURES booth at Unseen, visitors can explore the work of three artists who participated in a research-focused residency with FUTURES earlier this year: Karolina Wojtas, Claudia Fuggetti, and Alexey Shlyk.
Polish photographer Karolina Wojtas has exhibited internationally at renowned institutions such as Foam Amsterdam (2022) and Foto Arsenal Wien (2023). Her work has been recognized by prestigious organizations like Fotomuseum Winterthur and Musée de l’Elysée. Wojtas is the winner of the C/O Berlin Award (2022) and the ING Unseen Talent Award (2019). Wojtas creates playful and colourful installations inspired by her childhood memories and everyday objects. Her work invites visitors to rediscover a sense of childlike curiosity, immersing them in a world of colourful and experimental chaos.
Belarusian artist Alexey Shlyk, now based in Antwerp, has showcased his work globally, with exhibitions in Belgium, Norway, China, Belarus, and Russia. Shlyk won the prestigious Public Prize at the ING Unseen Talent Award (2018). Alexey Shlyk’s photographic work explores themes such as technology, politics, propaganda, and personal memories, examining how they relate to each other and to the image. Through large-scale photographic installations, he researches the relationship between the image and space, employing photography, video, and sound. During his residency, Shlyk continued his research into how we interact with technology and propaganda.
Claudia Fuggetti, is a rising Italian visual artist who has exhibited at national and international venues such as Les Rencontres de la Photographie Arles (FR), Copenhagen Photo Festival (DK), and Giovane Fotografia Italiana (IT), among others. Claudia Fuggetti’s work focuses on the relationship between human beings and nature. In her project “Metamorphosis,” she uses colour interventions to symbolise the resilience of life, even in challenging circumstances, encouraging viewers to see nature as a living entity.
In collaboration with Het Parool, Unseen and FUTURES are releasing three limited-edition prints by these three artists, available for purchase at €200 each (edition size: 100), including VAT and shipping. These prints can be ordered directly via unseenamsterdam.com/parool.
In addition to the booth, FUTURES will feature a special showcase of the UNFOLDING FUTURES Residency, a collaborative program with KABK, that allows recent graduates to experiment with new photographic formats. This year the four selected artists Alia Leonardi, Joseph Kennel, Daniel Zduniuk, and Benjamin Morrison— they will present their innovative projects at Unseen, offering a glimpse into the future of photography. The UNFOLDING FUTURES presentation is curated by Nuria Bofarull.
On Friday, 20 September at 5:00 PM, FUTURES will host a talk featuring Nikhil Vettukattil, an Oslo-based artist currently participating in the FUTURES X MPB residency program. Vettukattil works with a variety of media, including sound, installations, performance, text, sculpture and video, exploring representation and image-making in relation to lived experiences. As part of the FUTURES X MPB residency, they founded the fictional “Institute for Scene Experiments,” where they collaborate with performers and technicians to analyse, deconstruct and reimagine cinematic scenes, exploring new ways of storytelling, framing, sound and light. MPB, the largest global platform to buy, sell, and trade used photo and video equipment, has played a crucial role in supporting the FUTURES residency program.
The collaboration between Unseen and FUTURES offers visitors a unique opportunity to discover the next generation of photographers and learn more about the innovative residency programs that support them. For more information, visit www.futures-photography.com.
FUTURES is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
