Photobook Week Aarhus

photobookweek.org

In 2014, Galleri Image decided to create the first and only festival in Denmark dedicated to the photobook, and Photobook Week Aarhus (PWA) became possible through a collaboration with the Aarhus School of Architecture. The annual festival is focused on the rapidly growing international interest in photobooks in recent years. In the decade that has followed, Photobook Week Aarhus has become one of the most prominent global events concerning the photobook with publications, conference participation, international collaborations and initiatives that support global networks. We have exhibited publications from all over the world, gathered experts for talks, panel discussions, and organised remote events. We’ve produced artbooks, academic publications, performances, workshops, and conferences. Each edition of PWA is concluded with a public book market, where artists and publishers can exchange their works and experiences in an inclusive space for serious collectors as well as those wishing to start their own photobook collections.

PWA reflects a continuous study of the evolution and role of the medium and presents a unique opportunity to engage closely with this essential medium within the art world. Here, the photobook is presented in its current context as well as from a historical perspective to the general public and to individuals who work professionally with photobooks and photography, be it from an artistic, communication-related or academic standpoint.

According to our participants and partners, PWA has become a special meeting-point, which is acclaimed for its atmosphere and spirit, and has been called “the Think Tank of the Photobook”. In this sense, we have not only tried to be a platform for artists and publishers to show and sell their books, but we have also asked collectors, researchers, critics and creators to share their views with our visitors. Curators from all over the planet have been invited to select old books and new books, artists’ books and photobooks, magazines and zines, trade editions and self-published projects, in order to present them in regional, thematic and historical context exhibitions. By presenting photobooks in this way, we allow for critical questions about their origin and impact in addition to an appreciation for their underlying craft and artistic merit.

Photobook Week Aarhus has its own website, where you can learn more about previous editions of the festival and follow updates about PWA 2023.

Chief curator
Moritz Neumüller, curator, lecturer, author and PhD, Barcelona

Curatorial team

Beate Cegielska, Director of Galleri Image, Aarhus
Anne Elisabeth Toft, lecturer and PhD of architecture and photography, Aarhus School of Architecture
Jesper Rasmussen, visual artist and former rector of the Jutland Art Academy