Clothing and textiles connect us intrinsically to our planet and its many ecosystems, cultures, and communities. The materials used to make them come from farms, forests, or even oil from the earth, and they have often passed through many pairs of hands, transformed each time before they become the final product that we buy.
This transition starts with the plants, animals, or processes that give us materials like cotton, viscose, wool, or polyester. These fibers become thread, thread becomes fabric, fabrics become finished products, and finished products become cherished or symbolic items.
While each transformation brings cultural and emotional significance, our collective appreciation of textiles often centers around the product itself, rather than where it came from, who created it, or what it has come to mean. That’s why, in partnership with Magnum Photos, we are looking for photographers interested in exploring the way we transform textiles, and how textiles in turn transform us.
By placing these themes at the center of the story, the initiative hopes to reframe the way we relate to their social, cultural, and environmental implications. It is about altering our attitude towards these everyday items, all while providing a springboard for emerging talent to embrace a more human approach to visual storytelling.
The competition is open to any early career photographer, aged 18 or over with an interest for the topics at the center of Textile Transformations.
The theme is “Textile Transformations” telling the visual stories that take place when fibers and materials are cultivated, created, spun, woven, sewn, loved and cherished.
Applicants should submit at least one photo story (but a maximum of two), consisting of up to 25 images per story. They should also include an artist statement and CV.
The winner will receive a £8,000 commission for Textile Exchange and Runner-up will receive a £5,000 commission for Textile Exchange. Both will receive and mentorship with a Magnum Photographer.
The contest is hosted by the NGO Textile Exchange in partnership with Magnum Photos
Apply here: Textile Transformations 2024 – Picter
