FUTURES is an Europe-based photography platform bringing together the global photography community to support and nurture the professional development of emerging artists across the world. It works as a network of 18 organisations operating in the field of photography, bringing together expertise and talent programmes. FUTURES is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
FOTODOK has had the honour to nominate five artists to join FUTURES in 2023: Michelle Piergoelam, Sebastian Koudijzer, Sheng-Wen Lo, Tanja Engelberts and Yana Kononova.
Image: Michelle Piergoelam, Songs of the strange land
Michelle Piergoelam is a Rotterdam-based photographer known for creating visual stories that intertwine cultural traditions, myths, and memories. With a focus on details and the use of night elements, her work stimulates the imagination and preserves narrative culture. Michelle’s project The Untangled Tales has received prestigious nominations and awards, including Blurring the Lines 2020 and the Zilveren Camera Prize for Storytelling 2020.
Image: Sebastian Koudijzer, Kampong Tori
Sebastian Koudijzer is a photographer who explores his mixed-race identity and aims to revive disappearing traditions, values, and spirituality through his work. Using the camera as an exploration tool, he seeks the nostalgic feeling of “Gotong Royong.” He holds a BA in Photography from the Koninklijk Academie van Beeldende Kunsten and has exhibited his work in various exhibitions and performances. His work has been featured in publications such as De Tijd and De Volkskrant.
Image: Sheng-Wen Lo, Watch Out
Sheng-Wen Lo is a Taiwanese artist known for his explorations at the intersection of photography, digital media, and visual language. With a diverse educational background in both art and technology, he has exhibited his artwork internationally, including solo exhibitions at the Hong-gah Museum in Taipei and FOAM Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam. He has received prestigious awards and grants, such as the Foam Talent award and the Kunstenaar Basis grant. His works are featured in public collections and he actively shares his knowledge through workshops and lectures.
Image: Tanja Engelberts, We Exhale
Yana Kononova, an artist with a background in sociology, was born in the Caspian Sea on Pirallakhi Island, a historically significant place of oil extraction and Zoroastrian worship. After emigrating to Ukraine during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, she found inspiration in the geological and cultural history of the Trachtemiriv peninsula, where she pursued photography. Yana has received accolades such as the Bird in Flight Prize and the Hariban Award, and her works have been exhibited both in Ukraine and internationally.
Image: Yana Kononova, Peat Ontologies
You can find more information about the artists’ projects and the program that follows at FUTURES.
