The project merges photography at the intersection of documentary and art. This approach goes beyond the mere recording of events or aesthetics, turning photography into a tool for understanding modern society, its phenomena, and trends.
The festival was initiated by a community of Belarusian photographers and held for the first time in 2024. The PhotoArtDoc program consisted of two parts: educational and competitive.
The educational program of the festival is designed to preserve the potential and provide an impetus for the development of Belarusian photography during challenging times. The goal of the organizers is to support and develop the community of independent photographers from Belarus, both within the country and abroad, promote Belarusian photography in the European space, preserve visual heritage, and contribute to the development of modern photographic culture in Belarus.
Over four months, 38 Belarusian photographers worked under the mentorship of Siarhei Hudzilin, Katerina Kouzmitcheva, and Tatyana Tkacheva, creating projects where photography served as the primary medium. These works were evaluated in a closed nomination category by a jury composed of Belarusian curators and art critics.
The second, open category of the competition was international, serving as proof that culture and art know no borders. A total of 230 projects from 40 countries were submitted for the open nomination.
At the exhibition, projects selected by two jury panels in both categories are presented.
Best Projects in the Closed Nomination
“Skarb” by Jana Shnipelson, Belarus/Poland
“Anniversary” by Cottonyevil, Belarus/Poland
“In My Shoes” by Tatyana Chipsanova, Belarus/New Zealand
Best Projects in the Open Nomination Category
“Altars of Imagination” by Maria Vittoria Desiato, Italy
“Nobody’s Wedding” by Karolina Dutka and Valentin Sidorenko, Moldova
“Place of Power” by Natasha Lozinskaya, Russia
Curators: Alena Kushnir and Sergey Mikhalenko
Social Partner of the Exhibition: European Humanities University
Festival website: www.photoartdoc.com