Unseen and ING announce five finalists for launch of European edition of the ING Unseen Talent Award

The finalists include British Journal of Photography IPA Single Image Award Winner Felicity Hammond, born 1988 in the United Kingdom.

 Hammond’s image Restore to Factory Settings, a large scale photographic collage C-type print, explores economic and social evolutions in London; a cityscape once defined by factories and industrial structures, now given over to the incredible demand for residential and office spaces.

The other ING Unseen Talent Award finalists are Austrian photographer Thomas Albdorf, born 1982, Laurianne Bixhain, from Luxembourg, born 1987,  Spanish photographer Miren Pastor, born 1985 and Czech photographer Tereza Zelenkova, born 1985.
Sanne ten Brink, Head Curator of the ING Collection: “The finalists of the ING Unseen Talent Award 2016 symbolise a new generation of emerging photographic talents from Europe.”

Rixt Hulshoff Pol, Director Unseen: “This intensive collaboration with ING is a true tribute and support to our continuous enthusiasm for new photography and artists who push boundaries with their work.”
All five finalists take part in the ING Unseen Talent Programme, an online coaching course that includes a range of workshops with different professionals in the field, as well as a commission for the ING Collection.
The finalists will create a final work in response to the award’s 2016 theme Fool for Love.
Finalists will be coached by American artist Todd Hido, “encouraging them to think about how to present their art in a wider context.”
Todd Hido: “Very early in my career, I was the recipient of a grant at a point when it had a tremendous impact on my ability to focus on my photography in a way that would have not been possible otherwise.

“I’m excited to help give young photographers a similar opportunity with the ING Unseen Talent Award. There’s something quite remarkable about getting a bit of recognition for your work, not to mention the international exposure that this award will bring.”
The ING Unseen Talent Award winner will be announced at the Award Ceremony on the 22nd of September 2016 during the official opening night of Unseen. The winner of the ING Unseen Talent Award will receive €10,000 towards a project production fund.
The newly produced works by this year’s five finalists will be presented in the ING Unseen Lounge at Unseen Photo Fair 2016, which runs from the 23rd until the 25th of September in Amsterdam. In addition to the ING Unseen Talent Award, the finalists will also be competing for the ING Unseen Public Award, which will be launched online at the beginning of September.

The 2016 cultural scouts were Editorial Director of British Journal of Photography Simon Bainbridge, Sena Cakirkaya (Head of Photography, Istanbul Modern, TR), Paul di Felice (Founder, Café-Crème edition and Board Member, European Month of Photography, LU), María García Yelo (Director, PhotoEspaña, ES), Felix Hoffmann (Chief Curator, C/O Berlin, DE) and Adam Mazur (Editor-in-Chief, Szum Magazine, PL).
The 2016 ING Unseen Talent Award long list includes: Thomas Albdorf (AU), Carlos Alba (ES), Kerem Ozan Bayraktar (TR), Laurianne Bixhain (LU), Lucian Bran (RO), Álvaro Calvo (ES), Federico Clavarino (IT), Gerardo Custance (FR), Raphaël Dallaporta (FR), Damien Daufresne (FR), Robert Frankle (LU), Kirill Golovchenko (UA), Anna Grzelewska (PL), Sarah Hablützel (CH), Felicity Hammond (UK), Dominic Hawgood (UK), Paul Hutchinson (DE), Mattia Insolera (IT), Sam Ivin (UK), Kemê (ES), Vendula Knopova (CZ/SK), Yulia Krivich (PL/UA, Magda Kuca (PL), Tina Lechner (AU), Theresa Martinat (DE), Nikola Mihov (BG), Stefanie Moshammer (AU), Irene O’Callaghan (NL), Miren Pastor (ES), Helena Petersen (DE), Max Pinckers (BE), Sevim Sancaktar (TR), Michal Sierakowski (PL), Selim Süme (TR), Paulina Otylie Surys (UK), Katy Strange (NL), Inge Trinekens (NL), Gianfranco Trippodo (IT), Peter Watkins (UK), Maja Wirkus (DE), Wiktoria Wojciechowska (PL), Cemre Yesil (TR), Tereza Zelenkova (CZ), Marta Zgierska (PL), Lily Zoumpouli (GR) and Sylwana Zybura (UK).

An international jury will select the award winner. The jury includes: Martin Barnes (Senior Curator, Photography Department, Victoria & Albert Museum, UK), Lucy Conticello (Director of Photography, M, le Monde, UK), Rineke Dijkstra (Photographer and 2015 edition coach, NL), Azu Nwagbogu (Director, LagosPhoto Festival, African Artists’ Foundation and National Art Competition, NG) and Sanne ten Brink (Head Curator, ING Collection, NL).
ING Unseen Talent Award Ceremony begins from 22 September 2016, while Unseen Photo Fair Amsterdam takes place from 23-25 September 2016.