“Textile Transformations” Photography Contest

They’re looking for emerging photographers interested in telling the visual stories that take place when fibers and materials are cultivated, created, spun, woven, sewn, loved and cherished – gaining cultural and emotional significance through the journey.

Clothing and textiles connect them 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 they buy.

This transition starts with the plants, animals, or processes that give them 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, the 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, they are looking for photographers interested in exploring the way they transform textiles, and how textiles in turn transform them.

By placing these themes at the center of the story, the initiative hopes to reframe the way they relate to their social, cultural, and environmental implications. It is about altering the attitude towards these everyday items, all while providing a springboard for emerging talent to embrace a more human approach to visual storytelling.

Theme

• “Textile Transformations” telling the visual stories that take place when fibers and materials are cultivated, created, spun, woven, sewn, loved and cherished.

Funding Information

• The overall winner will receive a commission to the value of £8,000 for Textile Exchange to document the stories behind some of its members as well as a mentorship with a leading talent from Magnum’s network of photographers and support from the Magnum Photos Education team.
• One runner-up will receive a commission to the value of £5,000 for Textile Exchange and some mentorship sessions from Magnum’s network of photographers and the Magnum Photos Education team.
• The winning entries will also be showcased in an original exhibition at the Textile Exchange Conference. Held annually, the event brings over 800 brands, retailers, and suppliers together to ensure that fashion, textiles, and apparel are produced in a way that supports the planet, its ecosystems, its landscapes, and its communities.

What can be submitted?

• 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.

Who can submit?

• 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.

For more information, visit Picter.