Unseen Amsterdam 2019 | Programme

Unseen Amsterdam returns for its eighth edition to highlight the latest developments at the forefront of contemporary photography. Taking place from the 20th to the 22nd September 2019 at Amsterdam's Westergas, the Unseen team is delighted to announce 53 participating galleries. With over 25,000 visitors at Unseen Amsterdam last year, the leading platform for contemporary photography returns to provide novel and diverse approaches to engage with the medium. This includes combining various programme elements such as the Fair, On-site Projects & Exhibitions, the Living Room (three-day speakers programme), the Book Market (70 independent publishers), the Open Gallery Night and the City Programme. The 2019 edition will enable 300 up-and-coming and established artists to present boundary-pushing and noteworthy work, much of which has never been seen before, and all of which has been created within the last three years.

THE FAIR

Unseen announces the list of galleries participating in 2019's Fair element of Unseen Amsterdam. The galleries are from all around the world, including countries such as Iran, India, Argentina, Ghana, Japan, and The United States. The Fair welcomes 19 new international galleries this year to present their artists, offering visitors the most diverse experience yet.

New galleries include, Nature Morte (India), who will present a solo booth with premiering work by Bharat Sikka, DECK Gallery (Singapore), whose booth will be focused on nature and climate change with participating artists Ang Song Nian, Woong Soak Teng and Robert Zhao Renhui, Gallery 1957 (Ghana), who will be showing a solo booth with Ivorian artist Joana Choumali, and Rolf Art (Argentina), showcasing politically engaged work by artist and activist, Marcelo Brodsky and emerging talent Celeste Rojas Mugica.

The 2019 edition will also see numerous returning galleries; Ag Galerie (Iran) will be showing work by four female artists Matin Abedi, Parisa Aminolahi, Shahrzad Darafsheh and Ghazaleh Rezaei, GRIMM (The Netherlands & The United States) will be premiering works by Dana Lixenberg and Saskia Noor van Imhoff, METRONOM (Italy) will present work by Christto & Andrew, Elena Aya Bundurakis, Fabrizio Bellomo and Taisuke Koyama, Flowers Gallery (UK & USA) will show Scarlett Hooft Graafland and Lorenzo Vitturi; and Robert Morat Galerie (Germany) will be showing Peter Puklus, Lia Darjes and premiering work by Andrea Grützner.

ON-SITE PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS

Each year Unseen aims to develop and strengthen its programme by collaborating with innovative institutions and artists, enabling visitors to engage with a variety of photographers and their unique methods. This year’s On-Site Projects will include a visual presentation of talented Dutch students from Dutch Academies KABK, HKU and Rietveld. New work from the collective Charles Goes Arles will also be screened from a camper van, as well as work from the photography platform Docking Station. More details on further projects and exhibitions to be announced.

LIVING ROOM

The Living Room brings together creatives and influencers from across the globe for a comprehensive three-day speakers programme packed with lectures, interviews, and panel discussions about the state of photography today. For the 2019 edition, the programme is organised in close collaboration with renowned art and design museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (London, United Kingdom), and LagosPhoto (Lagos, Nigeria), one of Africa’s first international photography festivals. Topics will include the power of images to change social behaviour, how to set up new terms in curating photography, and the influence of modern technology on the way images are made, shared, and experienced.

THE BOOK MARKET

This year the Book Market features more than 70 participating independent international publishers and distributors. During the event, there will be over 60 book launches and signings, special events and discussions with creative forces of the photobook publishing industry. Another highlight will be the Unseen Dummy Award, which will be on show for visitors to browse through. The Unseen Dummy Award gives exceptional photographers from around the world the opportunity to publish their photobook dummy.

CITY PROGRAMME

In addition to the On-Site festival programme this year, there will be, as with previous years, a city wide programme. This programme includes a diverse mix of more than 15 museums and project spaces that participate throughout the city of Amsterdam offering a range of exhibitions and viewings with additional discounts for festival visitors. Among these are; Foam, Stedelijk Museum, Huis Marseille, Melkweg, Iso, Cargo in Context and many more to be announced.

OPEN GALLERY NIGHT

On Saturday evening, a host of local galleries from around the city will open their doors to welcome guests for exclusive after-hours visits, from 20.00 to 22.00. Each year, as has become the tradition of Unseen Amsterdam, visitors can explore the city by night and discover an eclectic mix of genre-defining exhibitions at the city’s most cherished artistic destinations.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Unseen has established multiple talent development programmes in collaboration with a variety of institutions and organisations, this year amongst others, are the ING Unseen Talent Award, The Meijburg Art Commission, and the Unseen Dummy award. More details on the shortlisted artists and their mentors to be announced.

More details about the full 2019 programme will be announced soon.

Unseen Amsterdam 20 - 22 September 2019 – Westergas, Amsterdam https://amsterdam.unseenplatform.com/event