Amsterdam’s Foam Fotografiemuseum has announced the names of the 20 young artists whose work will feature in its upcoming Talent exhibition and coinciding magazine issue – published in December. This year marks the 13th Foam Talent Call, an international search for artists under-35 who are shaping the future of photography. This year, Foam revealed it received over 1,500 applications from photographers spanning almost 70 countries across the world.
Photographers are invited to submit their portfolios for a chance to be published in the magazine's annual issue and accompanying travelling exhibitions. This year’s finalists include Zimbabwean photographer Micha Serraf, whose photography navigates post-apartheid Africa, Adji Dieye, who specialises in issues of family and diaspora, and Hashem Shakeri, an artist and filmmaker based in Tehran who explores the restlessness of modern capitalist society, amongst others.
Foam says that it is keen to discover artists who interrogate issues of identity, image, and personal representations in their work: “The Talent Call is one of the central sources to navigate the state of contemporary photography,” its press release reads. “The submissions, coming from all over the world, create a map of the ever-changing, and very much alive, photographic medium.”
The “Talent stamp” acts as a springboard for international photography, as finalists can expect global exposure and praise for their work. Previous Foam Talents include Jonathas de Andrade, Fleur van Dodewaard, and Manon Wertenbroek.
Foam’s #55 Talent issue will be published in December 2019. Find the full list of this year’s finalists here.