Theme for Guest Room

Guest Room aims to spark collaboration. Varun Gupta, Director of the Chennai Photo Biennale in India, is teaming up with one of his personal mentors, Arpan Mukherjee. He is one of the nation's leading researchers of historical photography processes and co-founded Studio Goppo, a photography research studio. Together, Varun Gupta and Arpan Mukherjee have developed the following theme for your submissions: "Metamorphosis".

They invite you to explore the theme of "Metamorphosis" within the realm of alternative photography. Submissions that embrace the ever-changing nature of materials, processes, and concepts and offer a unique lens to examine the digital representation of analogue images are encouraged. As we navigate this transformative landscape, we discover new possibilities and avenues for creative exploration. It is within this intriguing territory that alternative photography thrives, where the convergence of analogue and digital technologies gives rise to a metamorphic art form.

This call is open to photographers and artists working with historical photographic practices that include but are not limited to cyanotype, salted paper, van dyke brown, gum arabic, gum oil, wet and dry plate collodion, silver gelatin processes, and other technology-based interventions.

Why submit to Guest Room?

• Get the chance to be awarded a 1.000 € Guest Room Scholarship
• Be discovered by two experts in contemporary art and photography
• Get published in an online showcase on Der Greif alongside emerging artists from all over the world
• Submit for free or pay a voluntary donation of 8€
• Please note: Images which have been selected for a previous Der Greif opportunity are not eligible for re-submission. We want to support the broadest range of photographers possible and therefore encourage you to submit work that has not yet been selected by our past Guest Curators. Any images which do not comply with these terms will be removed from the selection process.

Voluntary donation

After over a decade of serving the international photography community Der Greif is now finally a registered non-profit. We believe this organizational structure best reflects our artistic and cultural mission. As always, your artistic contribution makes our work on Der Greif possible.

Since starting Guest Room in January 2015, we’ve been working hard to invite a broad range of practitioners, from gallerists to editors and curators. We are convinced that this format is an interesting and low-barrier approach to help artists get their work in front of people who might be interested in working with them. For this reason, we are asking you to consider making a financial contribution as well. That’s why we’re suggesting a voluntary donation of 8€ as a submission fee. 100% of the funds we collect from your donations will go towards helping us continue providing interesting opportunities for the photography community through Guest Room, and thus expand Der Greif.

We believe in inclusivity. We don’t want this suggested donation to stand in the way of your submission. If you are unable to contribute financially, please send an email to voucher@dergreif.org to receive a voucher code which will allow you to enter for free.

About Varun Gupta

Varun Gupta has been a photographer for the last two decades, a serial entrepreneur, and a lover of analogue and alternative photography practices. He co-founded the Chennai Photo Biennale and the CPB Foundation, a non-profit organization that is focused on growing the photography community in India and South Asia. Varun serves as a collaborator and advisor to Photo Australia in Melbourne, the Belfast Photo Festival in the UK, and works closely with arts organisations across India. When not at his desk, he can be found in his darkroom experimenting with chemical processes and printmaking.

About Arpan Mukherjee

Arpan Mukherjee's artistic journey intertwines historical perspectives, critical inquiry, and a profound commitment to artistic expression. He has exhibited internationally, including at the Chennai Photo Biennale and Kolkata International Photo Festival, Lisue Photo Festival in China, and the Serendipity Arts Festival. Currently an associate professor at Visva-Bharati University, he also co-founded Studio Goppo, a photography research studio. Arpan's recent work involves collaborating with the British Library and CSMVS, Mumbai, on modern albumen and salt prints.

About Der Greif Guest Room

Guest Room is a monthly online exhibition with open submissions curated in real-time by personalities from the international photography scene. Der Greif is an award-winning organization for contemporary photography. It is print-publication, online-publication, curatorial team and joint project all at once. Der Greif connects the digital and the analogue, exploring and expanding the borders and limits of image-distribution and -reception in the digital era.