We are delighted to announce the Open Call for exhibits at the Fotofestival Lenzburg 2022, which will be held in Lenzburg (Switzerland, 20 minutes from Zurich) between the 26 of August and the 2nd of October 2022, in various locations within the city. Renown Photographers and emergent talents are invited to share their visions, with a project or single images, related to our festival theme for the 2022 edition re:sources 2.0.

As we all know only too well, there have been enormous changes and unprecedented challenges in all areas of life since the start of 2020: Everything we hold dear, everything we take for granted, everything that gives us support, everything that gives us a sense of security, has been challenged. The voids in our lives on the other hand allowed us to reevaluate what may be truly valuable to us. Deprivation proved to us what is most urgent to care about and explore what are essential resources for humanity and in general for our world. On the material as well as the immaterial levels.

The origin of a better future is always in the now. And photography is the perfect medium to contemplate this moment, reflecting on the past and projecting onto what is to come. For the 2022 edition, Fotofestival Lenzburg continues to explore the theme of resources, focusing on the relationship between man and nature, the health and well-being of all of us, and the major climatic and human changes that we are currently experiencing. More about the theme of the Festival here: https://www.fotofestivallenzburg.ch/en/the-fotofestival-lenzburg/

The competition is open to all types of photography and is aimed at photographers from near and far. An international jury of curators (from Switzerland, Germany, France and Italy) will choose the most interesting projects, which will be exhibited during the Festival at the Gallery of the Villa Müllerhaus. One project will be awarded the Jury Award of 1500 CHF. An additional group of single images (about 50) selected by the jury will be showcased in the shop windows of Lenzburg’s historic town centre, with the chance to win the Public’s Award (every image will have a corresponding number and the public will be asked to vote for their favourite image via SMS) of 1000 CHF.

The town itself will be turned into an open photo gallery, with several exhibits, photobooks corners in the bars and a rich program of events, with portfolio-reviews, workshops, and talks with authors and experts, in an intimate and cosy atmosphere. The festival of this small Swiss town, having featured already internationally renowned authors, is turning rapidly into a photography not-to-be-missed event.

What winners receive

• Exhibition during the Festival for 3 selected projects and more than 50 single images.
• Jury’s Prize for best “Project”: 1.500 CHF
• People’s Prize for best “Single Image”: 1.000 CHF
• Accommodation in Lenzburg for the opening’s weekend (26-27 August)
• Dedicated feature on the Festival’s website and communication channels / features in Festival’s partners channels (up to 20 partners)

About Fotofestival Lenzburg

The Fotofestival Lenzburg is an up-and-coming festival of photography that takes place annually in the history-rich town of Lenzburg in the heart of Switzerland. For one month every September, it brings together participating experts and an interested public. Lenzburg’s proximity to the art metropolises of Zurich and Basel attracts regional and international participants and visitors to the festival. Every year, the Fotofestival Lenzburg transforms its host town into an exhibition space dedicated exclusively to photography, presenting the medium in a wide variety of venues. With curated group and solo exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, portfolio discussions, lectures and accompanying events, the festival presents various photographic positions to be explored. It also offers numerous opportunities to meet and exchange with a community of enthusiasts in an open yet intimate setting. The Fotofestival Lenzburg is a project of the Society for Photography of Lenzburg, founded in 2017.

Judging Criteria

The jury will decide which project addresses the theme re:sources with depth, high quality and original photographic language. Projects may have already been produced and exhibited but must be recent (no older than 2018). Photographic projects designed for indoor or open air exhibitions, printed or digital are eligible.

Anne Lacoste, Director Institute for the Photography, Lille
Firstly graduated from a business school, Anne Lacoste wrote her Ph.D. thesis at La Sorbonne on the history of archeological photography. She was curator at the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne from 2011 to 2017.
She worked at Christie’s for five years before starting her career as a curator at the Photography Department of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Since 2005, her projects have spanned the history of photography with monographs on Felice Beato, Paul Strand, Irving Penn, Luc Delahaye, and Philippe Halsman, and themes such as the portrait, contemporary American photography, the photo booth, photo collections, and archives.

Daniel Blochwitz, Curator of the Fotofestival Lenzburg, independent Curator for photography
Daniel Blochwitz (*1973/D) studied photography in the USA, graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Florida, participated in the 50th Venice Biennale (Utopia Station) in 2003 and attended the Whitney Museum’s postgraduate Independent Study Program. In 2005 he began working for various galleries, initially in New York City and later as director of the Edwynn Houk Gallery in Zurich. As freelance curator, he realized various solo and group exhibitions for museums, galleries and off-spaces, among others on Vivian Maier, Arnold Odermatt and Lee Miller.. Between 2017 and 2019 he was artistic director of photo basel. He publishes and teaches on photography

Margherita Guerra, Director Fotofestival Lenzburg
After studying theology, multimedia publishing and photography in Milan, Margherita worked as a manager and picture editor in various publishing houses in Milan and for nearly ten years in the world’s oldest - still active - photo archive Fratelli Alinari, in Florence. In 2015 she founded Yourpictureditor, a network of picture editors offering picture research for media and advice and support for photo projects in Switzerland and Italy. In 2017 she started the Fotofestival Lenzburg, which is growing every year with international collaborations and partnerships, having established its reputation in the photography’s world.

Ute Noll, Photo Director of Magazine Du.
Ute Noll is a magazine, book and exhibition maker with a focus on photography. Her project agency UTE NOLL VISUAL PROJECTS and her gallery UNO ART SPACE with a focus on international artistic photography have been based in Stuttgart since 2007. She is photo director at Du Magazin, Zurich, co-festival organiser Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie, Lecturer FH Bielefeld. Since 2001, Ute Noll has been regularly invited to juries and international photofestivals.