The Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award 2022 seeks original and creative photographic works that address environmental concerns, wildlife preservation and humanitarian issues, with a focus on Renewable Coexistence. 

Emphasising both artistic innovation and environmental sensibility, the award lies at the intersections of art photography and nature photography. It welcomes photographic works which simultaneously expand upon artistic possibilities and prompt humanitarian reflection on urgent global issues. 

The inaugural edition of the award (2020) was won by visual artist Robert Zhao Renhui. As the winner, Zhao was commissioned to create new works, which will be showcased in January 2022.

The Theme

Renewable Coexistence.
The pandemic prompted widespread, collective reflections on the changes that are needed for a more equitable and sustainable world. How are our individual lives intrinsically intertwined with the lives of other human beings and species? How can we co-exist in sustainable ways that benefit human beings and the planet? This edition of the award welcomes explorations of renewal, regeneration, and synergistic co-existence with a sensitivity toward the conditions needed for our shared survival for generations to come.

The prize

The final winner of the Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award 2022 will not only receive a monetary award, but also an opportunity to showcase their work and create philanthropic impact.

The $20,000 award will support the creation of new works which will be part of a fundraising solo exhibition showcase with Jada Art Gallery in early 2023. Profits from the sales of works will benefit both the artist and the charity chosen by Silvana S. Foundation.

About the organisers

The award is a partnership between Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF), the largest biennial international photo festival held in Southeast Asia, and the Silvana S. Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the late Silvana Regina Sutanto which aims to raise awareness for humanitarian and environmental issues through photography.

How to Enter

The deadline for submission is 30 April 2022 (23:59 GMT+08). All submission must be made via picter platform.

The organisers

Award Commissioner - Silvana S. Foundation

https://silvanasfoundation.sg/about/ 

Silvana S. Foundation is a non-profit organisation which builds upon the legacy of Silvana Regina Sutanto, an award-winning photographer who supported underprivileged children and environmental conservation throughout her life. The foundation continues her life's work through initiatives which unite photography and philanthropy to bring hope to children and wildlife in the Asia Pacific region. 

Open Call Organiser - Singapore International Photography Festival

https://sipf.sg/

The Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) is a biennial gathering with the common pursuit of advancing the art and appreciation of photography. 

Now entering its 8th edition, the festival is a key player in driving critical thought and academic discussion on photography in Southeast Asia. As a pivotal platform for discovering, nurturing and propelling Southeast Asian photographers onto the international stage, it has drawn international attention both from and for emerging and established artists.

Gallery Partner: Mizuma Gallery, Singapore

https://www.mizuma.sg/ 

Executive Director Sueo Mizuma established Mizuma Art Gallery in Tokyo in 1994. Since its opening in Gillman Barracks, Singapore in 2012, the gallery aims for the promotion of East Asian artists in the region as well as the introduction of Southeast Asian artists to the international art scene. From 2014 to 2019, the artist residency space “Rumah Kijang Mizuma” operated in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, providing a new platform for dialogue by supporting exchanges between East Asia and Southeast Asia. In 2018, a new gallery space, “Mizuma & Kips” in New York, USA, as a shared collaboration between Mizuma Gallery from Tokyo and Singapore, and Kips Gallery from New York.

Mizuma Gallery features the works of Japanese artists including Aida Makoto, Aiko Miyanaga, Amano Yoshitaka, Ikeda Manabu, Tenmyouya Hisashi, and Yamaguchi Akira. Moreover, it showcases the works of renown East Asian artists such as Ai Weiwei, Du Kun, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, Ken + Julia Yonetani, and Zhao Zhao. The gallery also features the creations of prominent and emerging artists from the region including Agan Harahap, Albert Yonathan Setyawan, Angki Purbandono, Entang Wiharso, Gilang Fradika, Heri Dono, indieguerillas, Iwan Effendi, Made Wianta, Mark Justiniani, Nasirun, Budi Agung Kuswara, Robert Zhao Renhui, Ashley Yeo, and Ben Loong. Mizuma Gallery participates annually in international art fairs including Art Basel Hong Kong and The Armory Show New York, promoting Asian artists on an international scale.

Judging Criteria

Submissions would be judged based on how the works addresses the theme in regards to environmental, wildlife preservation, and humanitarian issues. Each body of work would be assessed by an esteemed jury of photographers and curators, who will select the finalists. The finalists will then be interviewed by representatives from SIPF, the Foundation, an appointed gallerist who will select the final winner.

Moshe Rosenzveig, Australia
Head On Photo Festival, Founder-Director and Curator

Moshe Rosenzveig is the founder-director and curator of Head On Photo Festival, a world-leading photography festival based in Australia. His career spans over 40 years as a photojournalist, photographer, educator and an award-winning television producer/director.

He has been a judge for multiple awards and a portfolio reviewer for international festivals, as well as a nominator for Joop Swart Masterclass and the Prix Pictet. In 2018, Rosenzveig was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his contribution to Visual Arts, in particular, photography.

Shahidul Alam, Bangladesh. Photojournalist, Teacher and Journalist

Shahidul Alam is a Bangladeshi photojournalist, teacher and social activist. He has been a photographer for over 40 years.

Alam is the founder of multiple photographic initiatives---the Drik Picture Library, the Pathshala South Asian Media Institute in Dhaka which has trained hundreds of photographers, as well as the Chobi Mela International Photography Festival. He is a visiting professor at the University of Sunderland, UK. In 2014, he was awarded the Shilpakala Padak by the President of Bangladesh and in 2018, the Humanitarian Award from the Lucie Awards.

Poulomi Basu, London/ India
Artist, Educator, Activist, Festival Founder

Poulomi Basu is an Indian artist, documentary photographer and activist whose work addresses the normalisation of violence against marginalised women. 

Basu received the Royal Photographic Society's Hood Medal in 2020 for Blood Speaks. She was selected for the Sundance New Frontiers Lab Fellowship in 2017.Her photobook Centralia was shortlisted for the 2021 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize.

Basu is a co-founder/director of Just Another Photo Festival, which democratises access to visual media. She is also a visiting lecturer at University of the Arts London's Visible Justice and Collaborative Unit programmes.

Anna Lim, South Korea
Photographer and Professor

Lim Anna is a photographer whose work raises questions about societal issues such as gender politics and intergenerational conflict. She has been awarded the ILWOO Photography Award (2020), the Arles Photo Folio Review Award (2019), the Korean Artist Project Artist Award (2017), the SURIM Photo Culture Award (2014), the Raising Women Artist Award (2013), and the Sovereign Art Foundation Asia 30 Artist Award (2012). She has shown in 17 solo exhibitions and more than 60 domestic and international group exhibitions, including Anxiety ON/OFF (2021), Rehearsal of Anxiety (2018), Frozen Hero (2017), and Restructure of Climax (2011).

Robert Zhao, Singapore
Visual Artist and Winner of the inaugural Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award

Robert Zhao Renhui is a Singaporean visual artist who works with photography through a multi-disciplinary approach. His artistic practice investigates man's relationship with nature to invoke doubts about the concept and portrayal of truth. His works have been exhibited internationally and featured in Artforum International, ArtAsiaPacific, European Photography, Pipeline, Archivo, Fotografia and Punctum.

Zhao was awarded the UOB Painting of the Year Award 2009, the National Arts Council Young Artist Award 2010 and the Deutsche Bank Award in Photography 2011. He was a finalist for the Benesse Prize 2019 and the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award 2017.

FAQ

1. Do I have to be a qualified photographer to participate?

   Answer: No, you do not have to be qualified in order to participate. Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award is open to all emerging and established photographers from the Asia Pacific Region.

2. Who can participate?

   Answer: Participation is open to all applicants based in the Asia Pacific region.

3. How many applications can I submit?

   Answer: Each candidate is allowed only one application each, with a maximum of 2 Projects (body of work) per submission.

4. How many images can I submit in total?

   Answer: For each body of work, you may submit a minimum of 7 images to a maximum of 15 images.

5. Is there a specific theme for the submission?

   Answer: Yes. All submissions will be judged based on the adherence to the theme. The theme Renewable Coexistence covers the topic of environmental, wildlife preservation, and humanitarian concerns worldwide.

6. What constitutes a body of work?

   Answer: A body of work consists of more than one image. It should embody and convey a consistent message, idea, theme and/or topic.

7. Will I still retain the copyright of my images?

   Answer: Yes. All artists will retain their rights to their works. However, if a project is selected, the artist is required to transfer his/her rights to SIPF and Silvana S. Foundation temporarily for free reproduction and exhibition of the submitted images in all media, printed marketing material, publication and online, but only in connection with SIPF and its promotion.

8. Am I allowed to submit digitally-manipulated images?

   Answer: Yes.

9. Other than still images, will other forms of submission of media be accepted?

   Answer: No.

10. Can I submit works that were previously published by other exhibition/competitions?

    Answer: Yes.

11. Can I submit my images via mail?

    Answer: No. Submission of images has to be done online. To submit your works online, visit https://contests.picter.com/silvana-s-foundation-commission-award2022

12. Who will be selecting the works?

    Answer: Please see information on our jury panel on the Open Call website.

13. What is an artist statement/project description?

    Answer: An artist statement is a written description of your body of works. The write up should convey a consistent message, idea, theme and/or topic of your series.

14. Can I submit my works without an artist statement?

    Answer: No. An artist statement is important for the jury members and the Foundation to understand the submitted works. The artist statement will also be used in the festival website, exhibition if your works are selected. Hence, it is strongly advised that participants submit a cohesive and concise artist statement or risk being disqualified.

15. Do I need to pay to submit my work?

    Answer: No, it is free to submit for the Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award.

16. Can I register on behalf of another photographer?

    Answer: To prevent unnecessary misunderstanding, photographers are advised to register under their own name for submission of works.

17. When will the winner be announced?

    Answer: The results will be announced in July2022 via email notification. It will also be publicised on SIPF's website and social media platforms in July 2022.

18. If I am not based in Singapore, do I have to be physically present during the festival?

    Answer: Only the final winner of the award will be required to be present during the festival in September 2022.

19. Will the winner be required to print their own works?

    Answer: Yes. The winner will be required to produce 7 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) photographs, printed and framed, to present at a fundraising exhibition in early 2023. Profits from the sales of works will benefit both the artist and selected charities and wildlife causes in Asia chosen by Silvana S. Foundation.