Description
OD Photo Prize 2024 | Judges’ Pick
Selected by Olivia & Valmont
Directors of InCadaques Photo Festival
“We are thrilled to have been part of the OD Photo Prize Jury this year and to have discovered amazing projects. This year we have selected the wonderful Swedish artist Kristoffer Axén for our InCadaques Award. As a result we will be showcasing his series ‘Placebo’ from 3 — 13 October at the InCadaqués Photo Festival 2024.” — Olivia & Valmont
Kristoffer Axén, born 1984 in Stockholm/Sweden, studied fine art at the International Center of Photography in New York between 2008-2009, a city in which he lived and worked in until 2013. He was selected as a part of the New York based Tierney Fellowship and was also selected as a part of the reGeneration2: Tomorrow’s Photographers Today traveling exhibition, which has been exhibited in over a dozen countries worldwide, and he was selected as a group of twelve emerging artists for the France based Festival Circulations at the art center Cent Quatre in Paris.
Artist Statement | “”Placebo” is a new series of large scale photographs that seeks to redefine storytelling through a fusion of figures in narrative settings and the integration of rich textural and abstract elements. This project aims to transcend traditional photographic boundaries, inviting viewers to delve into a visual tapestry where human experiences are intricately woven with the tactile and abstract nuances of our surroundings.
The series revolves around the dynamic interplay between figures and the environments they inhabit. Each photograph contains a narrative that extends beyond the visible to include the subtle textures and abstract patterns that shape our perceptions. The deliberate juxtaposition of figures against textured surfaces creates a visual dialogue that blurs the lines between realism and abstraction.
Texture plays a pivotal role in this series, as surfaces, fabrics, and details interplay with the original image. The inclusion of abstract elements elevates the series to a realm of abstraction. Intriguing patterns, reflections, and unconventional compositions challenge traditional perceptions, prompting viewers to engage with the photographs on a conceptual level. The intentional fusion of figures, landscapes and abstraction encourages a contemplative experience, inviting the audience to find personal meaning within the visual complexity.“ — Kristoffer Per Anders Axén
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All print enquiries:
tom@opendoors.gallery
+44 (0)7769922824
