Sarajevo Photography Festival, the most important regional event dedicated to photography, will be held from June 9 to 15 at several locations in Sarajevo.
The organizers’ statement states that the Festival brings together photographers, curators, galleries and art lovers from the region and the world, and this year’s program specifically highlights current social and ecological challenges through the theme of Weltschmerz.
Inspired by a term that denotes a feeling of sadness due to the discrepancy between ideals and reality, Weltschmerz serves as the conceptual framework of the festival. Through personal narratives, a critical attitude towards reality, as well as reflections on loss, transformation and resistance, participants will explore the boundaries of artistic expression through photography. The theme of Weltschmerz, through exhibitions, lectures, screenings and workshops, opens up space for pushing boundaries and going beyond the usual framework of observing photography.
It was announced that a special segment of the festival this year is dedicated to photo books and independent publishing, as key forms of long-term authorial expression. The festival’s support for this form allows photographers to move beyond the confines of rapid online consumption of content and develop narratives that last – physically and conceptually. Education in this direction not only empowers authors to complete their projects into complete forms, but also fosters a culture of self-publishing and independent work, which is essential for the resilience and diversity of the photography scene.
In line with the theme of Weltschmerz, the festival brings a series of carefully selected exhibitions. American artist Deanna Dikeman will present the Leaving and Waving project at the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This series has been in the making for 27 years – the author photographed moments of parting as she left her parents’ house in Sioux City. It began spontaneously in 1991, as a way to cope with grief. Over time, it became a family ritual. The photographs follow the passage of time, the aging of the parents, the death of the father in 2009 and the mother in 2017, and end with an empty driveway. The project is about love, transience and the silence of everyday farewells.
The Belgrade Raw collective and artist Jelena Nikolić are exhibiting the photography series Not many things disgust me a lot of things make me sad at the Manifesto Gallery.
Dženat Dreković will present the exhibition Bamburci at the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina will also feature the Finalists’ Exhibition, featuring works by photographers from almost 60 countries, while the Susan Sontag Square will host Rubén Salgado Escudero’s Solar Portraits series.
The Sarajevo Photography Festival continues to strengthen its importance as one of the most important photography and art events in the region, creating a space for artistic and professional development, thereby contributing to the advancement of the photography scene. As a platform open to interdisciplinary collaboration, the festival connects local and global actors in the field of photography and visual arts, supporting beginners, established authors and initiatives that strengthen community, environmental awareness and diversity of artistic expression, the statement said.
The organizers remind that the festival is competitive and offers photographers from the region the opportunity to compete in eight categories – portrait, documentary photography, life, fashion, conceptual photography, landscape, event and mobile photography. The festival’s Grand Prix is worth 2,000 euros, while the first place winners in each category receive prizes sponsored by Canon and a festival statue.
The works of the participants are decided by an international jury consisting of prominent professionals from the world of photography: Alessia Glaviano (director of PhotoVogue), Kiana Hayeri (award-winning documentary photographer), Marina Paulenka (director of exhibitions at Fotografiska Berlin) and Irfan Hošić (art historian and curator), it was announced.
Photo: illustration
