The project “Visual narratives: European borderlines” engages 12 young photography artists from Latvia, Turkey, Iceland, Portugal in a documentary exploration of the four countries representing geographical borders of Europe. The participants (3 from each country) will set to undertake personal projects – documentary and personal studies of the ‘borderlines’ in the duration of 9 months in their own and a resident country, followed by a joint editing workshop. The work will be supervised by experienced documentary photographers Vanessa Winship and George Georgiou, and supported by country tutors/coordinators. The result will be summarized in 12 individual projects as well as a joint visual narrative – documentation of “European borderlines”.

The final output will represent an exploration of differences and similarities, contrasts and likeness, frontiers and borderlines, both geographical and human – a visual narrative of the countries and people standing ‘on the edge’ of Europe.

The project will explore and broaden the notion of documentary photography. Our aim is to contribute to discussion about contemporary photography and photography education in the participating countries. It is also our hope that the final output will go beyond a collection of differences and contrasts, but will discover similarities and connections that may help to bridge the gap between the ‘European borderlines’, for the participants and the audience alike. Above all, the project serves to promote and develop young talents in photography.

“Visual narratives: European borderlines” is implemented by a partnership of active photography organizations from four participating countries: ISSP (Latvia), GAPO (Turkey), Maioclaro (Portugal),  FISL - Icelandic Contemporary Photography association and Reykjavik museum of photography (Iceland). The project is coordinated by ISSP.