“As photographers, we always have so much to prove,’ says Mitchell, “that we are not just guns for hire or documentarians of a moment – but we are creating and shaping culture through images”
“As photographers, we always have so much to prove,’ says Mitchell, “that we are not just guns for hire or documentarians of a moment – but we are creating and shaping culture through images”
It’s six years since the inaugural edition of Unseen Amsterdam arrived with the mission to shake up the art fair model, focusing on emerging photographers and collectors, and instilling a welcome dose of fun to proceedings. And despite its beginnings during difficult times for arts funding, the ‘fair with a festival flair’ has largely succeeded, developing into something more ambitious than a glorified trade show, with its own public programme and a city-wide celebration of the medium in one of the world’s great photography capitals.
The emphasis remains on championing new talent, and with this in mind, the latest addition to Unseen is Futures, a cross-European photography platform bringing together 10 cultural institutions from around the continent, each with their own talent programmes.