Marina Paulenka, founding Director of Exhibitions at Fotografiska Berlin, and Thomas Schäfer, Fotografiska's Exhibition Manager, have together developed the submissions framework "Balancing Belonging" and are inviting photographers to submit 1-5 pictures within the Guest Room format.
The organisers describe the selected topic as follows: "Belonging is a very basic need – from the moment of our birth belonging to a group provides us with safety, guidance and learning opportunities. It is at the core of us as individuals. However, balancing our enate longing for a community with the need for self-care can be a challenging task. In today’s world belonging to something or someone constitutes our identity – especially at a young age. This kind of existential pressure holds a strong risk of compromising our personal integrity along with physical and mental health. Balancing our longing for community with the need for self-care is a delicate dance. It requires establishing healthy boundaries, seeking out supportive communities, and communicating our needs with others."
The Guest Room is is a monthly online exhibition with open submissions curated in real-time by personalities from the international photography scene with a low-barrier approach to help artists get their work in front of people who might be interested in working with them. Selected images will be published in an online showcase on Der Greif alongside emerging artists from all over the world, applicants will get the chance to be awarded a 1.000 € Guest Room Scholarship. Photographs that were chosen in previous Der Greif opportunities are not suitable for re-submission.
Pictures can be submitted until the deadline of 7 June. The Guest Room Scholarship winner will be announced on 22 June. Find more information here.