Kaarina-Sirkku

Zagyvai Sári is an artist based in Budapest. She graduated from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design with a degree in Visual Communication, majoring in Photography. She started her doctorate studies at MOME in 2014 and received her DLA in Multimedia in 2023. Represented by Viltin Gallery, Budapest. Her works have been shown in several solo and group exhibitions in Hungary and abroad. In recent years her solo exhibition entitled Aitotype was opened in 2023 at the B32 Gallery in Budapest. In 2022 her solo exhibition entitled Excursion was opened at Viltin Gallery, Budapest. In 2023, she participated in the group exhibition Natural Light at the Liszt Institute in Brussels. In 2022 she exhibited at the Off Festival in Bratislava under the theme Elsewhere.

Based in Chisinau, Moldova, Natalia Ciobanu is an internationally recognized photographer specializing in portraits and travel photography. With over 18 years of experience, she masterfully blends color and emotion, crafting images that tell profound human stories. Her work has been exhibited across Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine and has earned prestigious awards, including Gold Winner at the London Photography Awards, Finalist in the Smithsonian Contest, and distinctions from Nikon Photo Contest and Trierenberg Super Circuit. For Natalia, photography is more than just capturing moments; it’s about telling stories, connecting with people, and celebrating the beauty of the world in all its diversity. Each photograph she creates is an exploration of humanity and a tribute to the colors that define our lives.

Jaka Teršek (b. 1997, Slovenia) is a photographer and visual artist whose work explores themes of national identity, mythology, and the interplay between geography and human culture. He frequently combines photography with text, creating narratives that blur the boundaries between fact and fiction. He holds a BA in Photography from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Ljubljana and an MFA from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, where he is currently engaged as an artistic researcher. His series OWL, FOX, HEDGEHOG, DEER was finalist in the Blurring the Lines competition organised by Paris College of Art in 2022 and was shortlisted for the PhMuseum Photography Grant in 2023. Jaka has exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions, including at FOMU Antwerp, Gallery Artget Belgrade, Plečnik House Gallery, Gallery DobraVaga Ljubljana, and UGM Maribor. He is also a founding member of the collectives Fotosfera and Študio.

Nayara Leite (b. 1989) is a Brazilian artist and writer based in Bergen, Norway. She holds an MFA from the Bergen Art Academy and an MA in Photojournalism & Documentary Photography from the London College of Communication. Nayara works across text, performance, film, photography and installation. Through autobiographical narrative, political news, archival material and letters to close friends, she produces a portrayal of the reality in which the LGBTQ+ community lives in Brazil and in Norway. She has exhibited and/or held performances at Bergen Kunsthall, Palmera, Lydgalleriet, Isotop, Bergen Kjøtt and KODE 2 in Bergen; Preus Museum in Horten; Studio 17 in Stavanger; Oslo Negativ, Kunstnerforbundet and Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo; and Momentum Biennale in Moss.‍

Frida Lisa Carstensen Jersø (b. 1997) holds a BFA in Photography from HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design in Gothenburg, Sweden, and previously studied at Copenhagen Film and Photography School. Her photographic practice encompasses both classical photography, including analog and digital techniques, as well as medical imaging. She incorporates radiological scans of her body, creating two- and three-dimensional works that bridge medical processes and personal narrative. Jersø's artistic focus lies within the realms of Sick Photography and Therapeutic Photography. Her work explores the physical and emotional dimensions of the disabled and chronically ill body, challenging societal perceptions and ableist norms. She has exhibited at venues such as Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg, participated in the Artist’s Autumn Exhibition, and contributed to group exhibitions across Scandinavia. Currently, she is preparing a solo exhibition at the Finnish Museum of Photography. In 2023, she received an award in the Portræt NU! competition. Her work has been featured in Danish media outlets such as DR.DK and Politiken. Jersø is also collaborating with Disko Bay Books on a photobook publication, further cementing her role as an upcoming voice in contemporary photography.

Paweł Starzec (Ph. D) is a documentalist, photographer, sociologist, academic teacher. Mainly interested in long-term projects focusing on envisioning broader processes through their aftermath and consequences. Recipient of the Young Poland 2024 Ministry of Culture scholarship, PixHouse Talent of the Year Scholar award, Artistic Scholarship of the Mayor of Wrocław 2024, winner of Urbanautica Institute Award, Enconctros da Imagem Discovery Award and Spojrzenia Award, received honorable mentions in Allegro Prize, Lodz Fotofestival Grand Prix, and CDS Documentary Essay Prize, finalist of the Polityka Passports Award and Grand Press Photo. His works are in collections of Encontros Da Imagem (PT) and National Institute of Architecture and Urbanism (PL). As a sociologist, he researches modern iconographies and visual narratives. Vice- Dean of the Faculty of Design at SWPS University and Head of Communication Design speciality at the School of Form USWPS. Creator of workshop programs, co-founder of Azimuth Press art/ education collective. Member of APP platform. Graduate of Applied Sociology Department of University of Warsaw, and of Institute of Creative Photography of Silesian University in Opava (MA). Part time musician and sound artist under various monikers. DIY / zine culture enthusiast.

Lucija Rosc (b. 1995) is a visual artist based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Rosc graduated in photography from the Faculty of Applied Sciences VIST in Ljubljana in 2018 and earned her master’s degree in Visual Communication Design, with a focus on photography, with special honors from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO) in 2022. Rosc received the UL ALUO Prešeren Award and was a nominee for the 2024 OHO Award, Slovenia's premier national recognition for young visual artists. Rosc's art practice combines an investigative approach with play, drawing inspiration from her childhood memories, family archives, and the environment in which she grew up. She has held numerous solo exhibitions, with her work featured in exhibitions across Europe and the USA. Additionally, Rosc's work has been showcased at prestigious contemporary photography fairs, including Unseen Amsterdam, Photo Basel, Viennacontemporary art fair and the Art Salon Zürich, among others.

Ilias Lois pursued his education at the Department of Photography & Audiovisual Arts at the UniWA and furthered his studies at the School of Fine Arts in Venice. His artistic endeavours have garnered international recognition, with his works featured in institutions, festivals, and prominent photography publications. In 2018, he received the title of “Young Greek Photographer” from APhF, and in 2019, he earned the “Lensculture Emerging Talent” award for his series, Aisle Seat. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Lois serves as editor of the photography magazine Velvet Eyes. He is also a regular contributor to the Athens Photo Festival, where he recently curated the exhibition Good Advice & Other Recipes (2022) at the Benaki Museum. He contributes to the field of photography education as a teacher at the Hellenic Centre of Photography and Paper Drop Lab, where he is in charge of project development and curation classes. In the summer of 2024 he graduated with a Master of Photography: Research and Methodology from UniWA. Lois’ work is usually developed in long-term series, in which the interplay of different photographic genres is attempted, mixing staged photography and quasi-documentary strategies. His projects are inspired by the systematic observation of communication between people, the human manipulation of materials and technology and body language. The artist’s approach pays close attention to the practices of transferring a three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface, as well as to the reverse process that follows. He is particularly interested in the sequencing of photographs while researching and practising non-linear forms of narration, both in his personal and curatorial work.

Teresa Freitas (b. 1990) is a Portuguese photographer and colourist. Her work navigates the genres of fine art, documentary and street photography, often exploring the impact of colour in composition, place, mood, and in the viewer's aesthetic response. Initially drawn to black and white film, Teresa followed her influences from Painting and Cinema to apply a knowledge of colour theory and harmony to develop a signature style which has earned her praise in many publications. She shares this knowledge through international workshops and online courses. After several years working in commercial photography—with collaborations including Leica, Adobe, and Dior—she is now focused on short and long-term documentary projects. Her current work examines cultural and symbolic relationships to nature, particularly through flowers.

Rui Costa, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, 1989. He began his studies at the Portuguese Institute of Photography in Lisbon in 2020, wherehe became interested in developing documentary and authorial projects. In 2022 heattended the Masterclass Narrativa with the photographer Mário Cruz. Since 2023, he has been a teacher at the Portuguese Institute of Photography in Lisbon. Winner of the Fnac New Talents Award 2023, in the Photography category, with the essay “Uma Azeitona Bordada em Azul". ‍