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Biography

Born 1968 in Berlin, I studied Art History in Paris, Political Science in Munich, and received a Master’s degree (Distinction) in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from LCC, University of the Arts, London.
As a documentary photographer and filmmaker I’m interested in exploring anthropological and sociological questions related to social identity and political ideology.
In a research-based approach I work multi-disciplinarily on self-initiated long form projects and international editorial assignments.
My projects received numerous grants throughout my career, and my work has been nominated, among others, for the German Henri-Nannen-Prize and showcased at international photography festivals such as Format (UK), Photo:Israel and Les Rencontres d’Arles (France).
As an associate lecturer, I’ve been teaching photojournalism and documentary photography at Munich University of Applied Sciences.

Awards & Grants

2023 DOK.composition Award, DOK.fest München, finalist, ›A Letter to Jenna‹
2022 VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; project grant ›External Effect‹
2021 German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media; project grant ›A Letter to Jenna‹
2019 Gomma Grant, London, UK, winner Best Color Picture ›Themmuns‹

2019 Unseen Dummy Award, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, shortlist ›Themmuns‹
2019 Kuala Lumpur International Portrait Photography Prize, Malaysia, finalist ›Themmuns‹
2019 PHmuseum Photography Grant, London, UK, shortlist ›Themmuns‹
2019 Copenhagen Photo Festival, Photo City, shortlist ›Themmuns‹
2018 Luma Rencontres Dummy Book Award Arles 2018, France; finalist ›Themmuns‹
2018 Meitar Award 2018, Tel Aviv, Israel, finalist, ›Themmuns‹
2018 Photobook Week Aarhus Dummy Award 2018, Denmark, finalist, ›Themmuns‹
2018 Direct Look photo contest, Moscow, Russia, finalist ›Themmuns‹
2018 Athens Photo Festival, Greece, shortlist, ›Themmuns‹
2017 VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; project grant ›Themmuns – Youth in Northern Ireland
2012 Henri Nannen Preis; shortlist best photo reportage; Die innere Unsicherheit – Bilder aus Beirut
2009 VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; project-grant ›Beirut Eight Thirteen
2009 Photography Award of the City of Munich; nomination (exhibition)
2005 QUIVID-arts programe, München; project-grant ›Beweg‘ dich, dann bewegt sich was‹

Exhibitions (selection)

2022 ›A Letter to Jenna – Mariupol‹ (screening), Microscope Gallery, New York, USA
2022 ›A Letter to Jenna‹ (group exhibition), Inland collective pop-up show room, Arles, France
2021 ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹ (group exhibition), Well Gallery, LCC, London, UK
2020 ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹ (solo exhibition), Amerikahaus München
2019 ›Displaced‹ (solo exhibition), Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, USA
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (group exhibition), Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (group exhibition), Format International Photography Festival, Derby, UK
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (dummy book presentation), PhotoIreland, Dublin, Ireland
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (screening), Riga Photomonth, Riga, Republic of Latvia
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (group exhibition), Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, Australia
2019 ›Themmuns‹ (group exhibition), Grenze – Arsenali Fotografici, Verona, Italy
2018 ›Themmuns‹ (screening), Les Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles, France
2018 ›Themmuns‹ (group exhibition), Photo Is:rael, Tel Aviv, Israel
2018 ›Themmuns‹ (screening), Getxophoto International Image Festival, Getxo, Basque Country
2018 ›Themmuns‹ (dummy book presentation), Preus National Museum of Photography, Horten, Norway
2017 ›Mleeta – Hezbollah theme park‹ (installation), Der Greif – Panama Plus, München
2015 ›Rec by‹ (group exhibition), EasyUpstream gallery, München
2015 ›Displaced‹ (pop-up exhibition), Lost Weekend bookstore, München
2014 ›Beirut Eight Thirteen‹ (solo exhibition), Fotomuseum, München
2012 ›Ping / Pong‹ (group exhibition), Kunstraum, München
2011 ›Silence like the wind overtakes me‹ (group exhibition), Cyan – Raum für Fotografie, München
2009 ›Beirut Zero Eight‹ (group exhibition), Städtische Kunsthalle Lothringer13 – Förderpreise 2009, München
2005 ›Beweg‘ dich, dann bewegt sich was‹, photo-installation, QUIVID-Arts programme, München

Collections (public & private)

Luma Foundation, dummy book collection, Arles, France
Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio, USA
Stadtmuseum, Sammlung Fotografie, München, Germany
Le Toquin, Noyers sur Cher, France
Hahn, München, Germany
Luhmann, München, Germany

Teaching

2020 Associate lecturer in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at Munich University of Applied Sciences
2020 Initiating dok12.net, a student online platform with a focus on photojournalism and documentary photography
2019 Team teacher at Munich University of Applied Sciences

Research

2021 ›Documentary Practice in the Post-Truth Era‹ – research paper, University of the Arts, London
2020 ›Shifting Perceptions‹ – research paper, University of the Arts, London

Artist talks & lectures (selection)

2020 Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations, Amerikahaus München: artist Talk with Dr. Meike Zwingenberger
2019 Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, USA: artist talk with Valentine Umansky
2019 laif photo agency biennial meeting, Cologne, Germany: personal works presentation
2019 Fototreff Berlin, Meeting #28, Germany; bookslot ›Themmuns‹
2019 Grenze – Arsenali Fotografici, Verona, Italy: panel discussion
2018 Photobook Week Aarhus, Denmark; presentation ›Themmuns‹

Interviews (selection)

2021 Reporters Without Borders, ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹, interview by Gemma Pörzgen
2020 Bayern2 Radio kulturWelt, ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹, interview by Knut Cordsen
2020 Deutschlandfunk Kultur, ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹, interview by Sigrid Brinkmann
2020 Süddeutsch Zeitung, ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹, interview by Evelyn Vogel
2020 Bayerische Fernsehen, Rundschau, ›Blue Donkey & Red Elephant‹
2019 Arsenali Fotografici, Verona, Italy, interview by Simone Azzoni

Curatorial work

2022 Curating INLAND collective exhibition ›MYTH/s‹ during the opening week of Rencontres d’Arles, France
2019 Co-curator of FOTODOKS – Festival für Dokumentarfotografie, München

Writings

2019 On ›Monsanto‹ by M. Asselin in FOTODOKS festival catalogue
2012 ›Mali Coup d’Etat‹ on Vice.com

Personal work features:

2021 Reporters without Borders, photobook 2021
2019 European Photography #104
2019 De Correspondent #online
2012 Der Greif #6
2011 Der Greif #5
2011 Du-Magazin #817

Editorial assignments (selection):

The New York Times, New York Times T Magazine, The Guardian, CNN, De Correspondent, Vice, Internazionale, Monocle, Africa-Report, Travel + Leisure, NZZ, Du-Magazin, Brand Eins, Greenpeace-Magazin, Geo, Das Magazin, SZ-Magazin, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Zeit, Zeit-Magazin, Der Spiegel, Stern, Financial Times, Fluter

Commercial assignments:

Audi, Bayerische Rück Versicherung, Bayerischer Rundfunk, BMW, Bigfish Germany, Bilfinger, Georg Fischer, Gmündener Ersatzkasse, Hermann v. Helmholtz Forschungszentren, Hewlett Packard, Interroll, Inoutic, Media Saturn, MKS McDonalds Kinderhilfe Stiftung, Peach Property, Raumbrand, Siemens SBK, SonyBMG, Sport Schuster, SüdHausBau, Swiss Re, Thuega Energy, Tirol Werbung

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Jens Schwarz
Dreimühlenstr. 16
80469 München
Germany

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