Make Photography Wild Again!
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As a new initiative Copenhagen Photo Festival launches its Open Call 2023 under the overarching theme of ‘Rewilding’, which highlights sustainability and Copenhagen’s appointment as UNESCO’s World Capital of Archetecture in 2023. With the theme ‘Rewilding’ the festival encourages artists, talents and photographers to think ‘wildly’ and set photography free. The winners of the call wins a solo exhibition during next year’s festival in June.
An urban wilderness in the middle of Copenhagen may not be the most obvious exhibition venue, but the old Danish industrial giant B&W’s shipyard, which is placed on the island of Refshaleøen in the sweet spot between Copenhagen Contemporary, Michelin-Restaurant Alchemist and Reffen Street Food, has for several years been a green exhibition space and backdrop for Copenhagen Photo Festival.
The place is a historical piece of land in the midst of an industrial urban space which once laid ground to the building of ships. Since then rose hips, trees and wildflowers have taken over the former building site.
Sustainability and ‘Rewilding’
In 2023 the festival focuses on the topical concept ‘Rewilding’: “with our theme we address a current agenda and invite artists and photographers to expand the usual exhibition conventions – glas and frame on white walls – and explore new perspectives on urban spaces and sustainability. On ‘Beddingen’, as the former shipyard is known, we have an exceptional opportunity to lay out an urban landscape to this challenge – and to rewild photography,” says festival director Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
‘Rewilding’
The theme ‘rewilding’ is particularly relevant as Copenhagen will bring special attention to sustainability in 2023 as UNESCO’s World Capital of Architecture which will focus specifically on the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. ‘Rewilding’ refers to a process where nature regulates itself without interference from humans and without serving human purposes
The term has in recent years been used to propose solutions to some of today’s climate and biodiversity crises. But the concept also shakes established power relations and challenges traditional understandings of the relationship between humans and nature. The festival encourages artists, talents and photographers to explore this field and to interpret the term in its broadest sense.
Calling established and aspiring artists from all over the world
We encourage all interested artists, photographers and talents to apply for CPF’s Open Call 2023. The winners will be chosen by the members of our programme committee: head of the DMJX, Søren Pagter; curator and head of communication at Martin Asbæk Gallery, Patricia Breinholm; photo editor at the newspaper Weekendavisen, Mie Brinkmann and festival director Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
Deadline is 1 November. Winners are announced on 1 March. The exhibitions will open during next year’s festival in June.
Find more information about the open call here
Start your submission for the open call here
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Gør fotografiet vildt igen!
Som noget nyt lancerer Copenhagen Photo Festival næste års open call under ét bærende tema, der binder an til bæredygtighed og Københavns udnævnelse som arkitekturhovedstad i 2023. Med temaet ‘Rewilding’ opfordrer festivalen til at tænke ‘vildt’ og sætte den fotografiske kunst fri i naturen. Vinderne får deres egen soloudstilling under festivalen i 2023
Det er måske de færreste, der tænker, at et urbant vildnis på Refshaleøen er et oplagt udstillingsrum, men B&Ws gamle bedding, der ligger i smørhullet mellem Copenhagen Contemporary, Restaurant Alchemist og Reffen Street Food, har i flere år lagt græs, buske og udstillingsrum til Copenhagen Photo Festival.
Stedet er et historisk stykke jord midt i Refshaleøens industrielle byrum, der engang blev brugt til at bygge B&W’s skibe på. Siden har det fået lov til at forvilde som en tidslomme blandt Refshaleøens rå arkitektur, hvor hybenroser og vilde blomster nu har overtaget den nedlagte bedding.
Bæredygtighed og ‘genforvildning’
I 2023 stiller festivalen skarpt på det højaktuelle begreb ‘rewilding’ – eller genforvildning med et fordansket ord:
“Med vores tema taler vi ind i en topaktuel agenda og inviterer kunstnere og fotografer til at udvide de gængse konventioner om glas, ramme og hvide vægge for at se nye perspektiver på byrum og bæredygtighed. På Beddingen har vi en enestående mulighed for at lægge landskab til den udfordring og gøre fotografiet vildt igen,” siger festivaldirektør Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
‘Rewilding’
Temaet ‘rewilding’ binder an til, at København i 2023 er verdens arkitekturhovedstad med særligt fokus på bæredygtighed og de 17 verdensmål. Det betegner en proces, hvor naturen får lov til at regulere sig selv uden indblanding fra mennesker og uden at tjene menneskelige formål.
Begrebet har vundet frem i de senere år som en løsningsmodel på nogle af tidens klima- og biodiversitetskriser. Samtidig ryster begrebet også ved etablerede magtstrukturer, der udfordrer en traditionel forståelse af forholdet mellem mennesket og naturen. Festivalen opfordrer ansøgere til at afsøge dette spændingsfelt – og til den videst mulige tolkning af begrebet.
Kalder alle etablerede og spirende kunstnere!
Alle interesserede kunstnere og fotografer opfordres til at søge. Vinderne udvælges af festivalens programudvalg, der består af lederen af DMJX’s fotolinje, Søren Pagter, kurator og kommunikationsansvarlig hos Martin Asbæk Gallery, Patricia Breinholm, Weekendavisens fotoredaktør, Mie Brinkmann og festivaldirektør, Maja Dyrehauge Gregersen.
Deadline er 1. november, og vinderne annonceres 1. marts. Udstillingerne åbner til næste års festival i juni.