donggang international photo festival 2024

We invite you to submit your work to the 22nd DongGang International Photo Festival, to be held this year from July 12th to September 29th, 2024 in Yeongwol, Gangwon State, Korea.

This year's theme;

Silently Loud

From nature's perspective, humanity itself is a form of hell. That is because of the tendency of humans to objectify and judge everything according to their own standards, thereby ignoring the natural world's intrinsic order. This one-sided disregard for the non-human elements around us is another form of disconnection and isolation, which can be seen as a definition of hell. Despite this, nature maintains a remarkable selflessness. It is driven solely by the instinct for survival, unmoved by human perspectives. To humans, nature’s struggle for survival seems unforgiving akin to the concept of hell. What if we shifted our perspective to see nature from its own vantage point and cultivated an attitude in harmony with it? Then, we would realize that nature has never been hellish, not for an instant.

Humans at times fail to acknowledge the presence of nature. We are inherently part of nature, yet often, we elevate ourselves to the status of the main characters, forgetting our intrinsic connection to the natural world. From birth, nature serves as a backdrop, an external influence shaping our lives. Yet, this omnipresent environment leads us to prioritize ourselves, neglecting nature in the process.

This competition aims to take a closer look at the existential boundaries and lives of humans from an ecosystem perspective, focusing on highlighting our interconnectedness. It is our hope that the beautiful relationship between humans and nature, expressed through photography, will come to fruition and be manifested on a greater scale.

Individuals and collectives are welcome to apply; individuals should submit between 8 - 12 photographs from a particular series or body of work.

DongGang International Photo Festival aims to feature a quality selection of photography projects from around the world. DIPF’s open call is devoted to offering a platform and supporting photography, showcasing photography and related media from emerging and established artists.

The selected photographs will be presented to DongGang International Photo Festival in DongGang in main exhibition space, outdoor space and screening at the opening ceremony. The Main Program of 22nd DongGang International Photo Festival will be held from Jul. 12th to Sep. 29th, 2024