About

PROJECT: “Visual narratives: European borderlines”

DURATION: April 2011 – November 2012 

The project will engage 12 young photography artists in a documentary exploration of four countries representing geographical borders of Europe: Latvia, Turkey, Iceland, Portugal. The result will be summarised in a joint visual narrative –documentation of “European borderlines”. Twelve participants (3 from each country) will be selected to undertake personal projects – documentary and personal studies of the ‘borderlines’ in the duration of 9 months, followed by a joint editing workshop. The project work will include a residency at one of the other partner countries. The work will be guided and supervised by experienced documentary photographers Vanessa Winship and George Georgiou (UK). The final output will represent an exploration of differences and similarities, contrasts and likeness, frontiers and borderlines, both geographical and human – a visual narrative of the countries and people standing ‘on the edge’ of Europe.

(c) George Georgiou, Fault lines, Turkey East/West, 2006

OBJECTIVES AND AIMS:

• to contribute to education and discussion about contemporary photography in countries where quality photography education is almost non-existent or lacking in access;
• to try out a quality informal educational model in photography;
• to develop and promote young talents in photography;
• to establish a lasting cooperation between participating organisations;
• to create a high-quality visual output bringing attention to the countries on the “periphery” of the EU.

ACTIVITIES:

• a workshop “Visual narratives – European borderlines” as part of International Summer School of Photography 2011 (in Kuldīga, Latvia, 6 - 14 August 2011);
• work on 12 individual projects (9 months, in own country + residency in one of the other), guided by tutors;
• editing workhop (in Turkey, May 2012);
• project presentations (possibly exhibitions) in Latvia, Turkey, Portugal, Iceland;
• project presentation at European photography festival/s.

OUTPUTS:

• initial exibition after 1st workshop in Ludza, as part of ISSP exhibition;
• active project blog;
• 12 individual documentary photography projects by participants;
• a joint visual multimedia presentation “Visual narratives -European Borderlines”, presented at events in participating countries and at international photography festival/s in Europe;
• (possibly) exhibitions in participating countries;
• project publication.

PROJECT PARTNERS:

Latvia: ISSP
Turkey: Genis Aci Project Office (GAPO)
Portugal: Maioclaro visual concepts
Iceland: Icelandic Contemporary Photography Association, and Reykjavik Museum of Photography

PROJECT TUTORS:

Vanessa Winship (Agence VU - FR)
George Georgiou (Panos pictures – UK, Prospekt - IT)
 

FUNDING: The project is funded by cooperation grants from European Cultural Foundation and Open Society Institute Arts and Culture Program, and co-financed by the partners.