UNSEEN PHOTO FAIR 2023 - 11th edition

^{©Sophie de Vos,}
^{Courtesy Root Gallery.}

Nature-Themed Photography and More Established Artists Alongside New Talent

The leading international art fair for contemporary photography, Unseen Photo Fair 2023, will once again take place in Amsterdam’s Westergas. With 72 exhibiting galleries, 10 special installations and 65 participating publishers of photography books, this is already a hit from the start.

UNSEEN Amsterdam
©Almicheal Fraay

This year, Unseen Photo Fair will feature many captivating ‘nature’ themed presentations, publications and installations that explore our profound relationship with the environment. Besides works by established international artists, the fair also shows a multitude of work by emerging talents.

^{©Adler Guerrier}
^{©Courtesy The Gallery Club}

Taking place from 22-24 September, with a private preview on 21 September, Unseen Photo Fair will once again transform the iconic Westergas site into a captivating hub for photography enthusiasts, collectors, and art professionals. This edition promises to be an exceptional showcase, uniting established international artists and emerging talents under one roof, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and artistic expressions.

©Lin Zhipeng,
Courtesy Stieglitz19

Main Fair

The main fair will host 78 exhibitors from all over the world, with returning long time exhibitors such as Kana Kawanishi from Tokyo Japan, but also new exhibitors such as Carmen AraujoArte from Caracas, Venezuela.

^{Natalia is one of the eighty felines from the Lujan Zoo in Argentina, where the director believes that wild animals can become domesticated. Natalia walks through his house with absolute freedom.}
^{©Carmen Araujo Arte}
^{©Sofia Lopez Mañan}
^{Aomori from the series A NEW RIVER 2020 – Nature by humans}

This year’s fair will also see a significant presence of photography related NFTs, with a large presenation by Unveil, Unseen’s NFT partner. Many veteran artists of Unseen, such as Awoiska van der Molen, Kim Boske and Thomas Albdorf will debut NFT work, pushing their artistic practice into new dynamic, digital realms.

^{©Kim Boske}
^{©Courtesy Unveil}

Unseen’s Founding Director Roderick van der Lee:

“Unseen will, as always, show the latest in the rich and broad spectrum of photography: conceptual, documentary, fashion and art photography. But as the world grapples with pressing environmental issues, it’s inspiring to see that so many artists have chosen to reflect on nature. Visitors will embark on a visual journey through landscapes, nature morte, conservation efforts, climate change, and the intersection of humanity and nature, provoking contemplation and sparking dialogue”

^{©Julian Rosefeldt – Euphoria}
^{©Ron Mandos}

Unbound

Unbound, the section dedicated to projects that explore the outer edges of the photographic universe, is curated by Unseen director Roderick van der Lee this year. The theme Suspended Matter – an ecological term for tiny particles of matter adrift in air or water – refers to feelings of powerlesness we can experience as individuals when confronted with the forces that impact our environment. Stijn Elshuis, for instance, inspired by the social unrest around the polluting Tata Steel factory, presents the installation Holy Mountain. Morvarid K shows his installation This Too Shall Pass in which he depicts the consequences of the climate crisis through forest fires.

: Installation ©Philipp Groubnov ©Ira Grünberger – Courtesy: Josildada Conceição Gallery

: ©Morvarid K. This Too Shall Pass ©Bigaignon

Korean artist Jaehun Park is represented with his digital work Overheated Windmill. In it, black clouds of smoke erupt from a spinning windmill, symbolising the dark consequences of our efforts to tame nature.

^{Overheated Windmill (still)}
^{©Jaehun Park,}
^{©Courtesy Bradwolff & Partners}

Unbound Outdoors

For the first time, this year, Unbound also includes a large outdoor presentation set in greenery. The internationally renowned photographer Awoiska van der Molen will show The Prelude – a series of photographic works on large sculptural glass plates – in the hidden Japanese garden behind the gas holder. The title refers to a verse by the romantic poet William Wordsworth about the great importance of nature, written during the rise of the Industrial Revolution.

©David Benjamin Sherry, Courtesy Enari

Meijburg Art Commission 2023

This eleventh edition of Unseen will also see the announcement of the winner of the Meijburg Art Commission 2023. With this prestigious prize, KPMG Meijburg & Co wants to offer photography talent the chance to develop new work and show it to a large audience. The theme of the Meijburg Art Commission 2023 is ‘Environment’. The work of the nominated artists refers in its own unique way to the relationship between man and his environment. The nominees are:

^{MAC-Nominees 2023}
^{©Lonneke van der Palen, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam – Misha de Ridder, Caroline O’Breen, Amsterdam – Mathieu Asselin, The Ravestijn Gallery, Amsterdam – Florence Di Benedetto –}
^{Podbielski Contemporary, Milan – Mohsen Yazdipour – AG Galerie, Teheran}

-Mathieu Asselin – The Ravestijn Gallery, Amsterdam

-Florence Di Benedetto – Podbielski Contemporary, Milaan

-Lonneke van der Palen – Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam

-Misha de Ridder – Caroline O’Breen, Amsterdam

-Mohsen Yazdipour – Ag Galerie, Teheran

Book Market

With 65 independent publishers and dealers in photography books from around the globe, Unseen’s Book Market, offers a treasure trove for book enthusiasts, collectors, and photography aficionados seeking to expand their libraries and delve deeper into the art form. The selection of publishers is a deliberate mix of internationally renowned veterans and young publishing initiatives.

City Programe

Amsterdam will be offering a wonderful range of photography focused museum exhibitions during Unseen. The city’s strong photographic tradition with a focus on the medium’s avant-garde, is reflected in the programming in the many exceptional photography exhibitions in museums and institutions such as Foam, Huis Marseille and The Brakke Grond.

About Unseen

Unseen is the premiere art fair fully dedicated to the latest developments in contemporary photography. The fair is internationally renowned for its high curatorial standards and intimate atmosphere, and draws galleries, professionals and collectors from all over the world. 22th to 24th September 2023. Program and Informations.

About Unbound

The Unbound Foundation is an independent institute founded by Unseen, to explore the outer limits of the photographic universe.Unbound organises exhibitions with boundary defying projects where photography crossed over into digital art, installations, performance art, sculpture, virtual reality and video art. Unbound also stimulates institutional dialogue on the subject by organising a yearly gathering of international museum curators of photography.

About Westergas

Westergas is an art and culture village where historical value and innovative ideas come together. A unique monumental location in the Westerpark for visitors, with a quirky, but at the same time typically Amsterdam character.

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