Newsroom — NOOR

OPEN CALL: CROSS-LOOKING East-West Artistic Residencies

Yerevan, Istanbul, Cairo, and Rome

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Apply by 30 April 2025, 23:59 CET

NOOR, Organ Vida International Photography Festival, and the National Gallery of Armenia invite visual artists to apply for CROSS-LOOKING: East-West Artistic Residencies—a European project exploring image circulation across the East-West regions, intercultural narratives, and the contemporary boundaries of visual storytelling and documentary practices.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

CROSS-LOOKING investigates the role of visual storytelling in shaping East-West relations in Europe and the Near East. Through a series of artistic residencies, the project fosters deep engagement with historical and contemporary cultural connections while critically rethinking the documentary genre. Participants will receive mentorship from local tutors who employ art-based methodologies to guide their artistic research and practice within each residency’s unique cultural landscape.

This programme offers a rare opportunity to engage with the cultural exchange between Europe and the Near East, while expanding the possibilities of visual storytelling by revisiting these historically connected places with fresh perspectives.

CROSS-LOOKING seeks artists committed to more balanced, empathetic approaches through visual arts, as well as individuals who are aware of the pernicious issues related to representing the "other," particularly in relation to the East.

Each residency offers selected artists the opportunity to explore local socio-political narratives, contribute to a transnational artistic dialogue, and experiment with innovative storytelling methodologies. More information about the context and inspiration behind this project can be found below.

RESIDENCIES

We are offering four 12-day residencies in key artistic and cultural locations during the following months (exact dates to be confirmed):

  • Yerevan, Armenia – September 2025

  • Istanbul, Turkey – November 2025

  • Cairo, Egypt – January 2026

  • Rome, Italy – March 2026

The residencies will take place in carefully selected arts spaces that resonate with the cultural fabric of each city, fostering meaningful artistic exchanges. 

WHO CAN APPLY?

We seek twelve visual artists* in total across all locations (photographers, painters, filmmakers and other image-based visual artists) in the first ten years of their career who:

  • Have a strong artistic practice in visual storytelling with a focus on contemporary approaches to documentary.

  • Are engaged with themes of East-West relations, cultural identity, and historical narratives.

  • Are eager to experiment with new approaches to documentary-making and challenge its limits. We strongly encourage applications from artists who explore the usage of archives in their work, particularly those interested in the construction of memory and its relation to the journey and its meaning. 

  • Consider  research an integral part of their practice and who would specifically benefit from traveling to these cities as sites of historical and cultural significance.

  • Can articulate why their chosen city is relevant to their residency, highlighting how their time there—over the course of 12 days—will meaningfully contribute to the evolution of their artistic process.

  • Can work independently while contributing to a collaborative environment.

  • Applicants may apply for multiple residency locations but must explain their interest in each chosen location in the motivational letter.

*The call is open to artists from any nationality based in one of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.

What We OFFER

  • A fully funded residency, including travel, accommodation, and a daily stipend.

  • The residency will be guided by a local tutor with extensive experience and a well-established methodology for supporting multidisciplinary artistic processes.

  • A structured research and production period.

  • Post-residency curatorial guidance.

  • The opportunity to be featured in a collective publication and exhibition tour.*

*While inclusion in the final exhibition is not guaranteed, all works produced during the residencies will be considered as part of a curatorial process that will culminate in several exhibitions across Europe.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

  • Professional commitment to attend the residency if selected.

  • Professional and ethical behavior throughout the residency period.

  • Commitment to deliver a set of exhibitable materials in the months following the residency.

  • Openness to having the work exhibited (if exhibited, an artistic fee will be provided).

  • Ability to communicate in English is required; knowledge of the local language of the residency city is an advantage.

  • Signing of a residency participation agreement, committing to all conditions stated.

  • Delivery of press images to communicate participation, as well as other images from the residency period for communication materials

  • Participation in online training ahead of the residency.

HOW TO APPLY

All applications will be reviewed by a curatorial jury composed of representatives from NOOR, Organ Vida International Photography Festival, and the National Gallery of Armenia. The selection will be based on artistic merit, alignment with the project’s objectives, and the feasibility of the proposed residency project.

Applicants may choose to apply for one or multiple residencies. Each application must include:

  • A portfolio of relevant work and CV.

  • A motivation letter, outlining the residency plans, how their practice aligns with the project and the residency objectives.

Context and Inspiration of the Project

The project is inspired by the intertwined legacy of Gabriel Lekegian and Salvatore Valeri, two influential artists from the late 19th and early 20th century. Lekegian established a prominent photographic studio in Cairo, while Valeri co-founded the Academy of Fine Arts in Constantinople. 

This project draws on the legacy of their work, serving as a powerful reminder of the rich, shared histories that continue to influence contemporary conversations around identity, cultural exchange, and geopolitical tensions in Europe. Contemporary artists reflecting on this legacy are invited to consider how these historical representations of "The Other" can be reinterpreted today, especially as questions of identity and cultural representation continue to evolve. 

Through the artistic residencies we are offering, we invite artists to critically reflect on this legacy and its political significance today, and engage with the complex, evolving dialogue between East and West. 

DEADLINE

Applications must be submitted by April 30, 23:59 - CET Time.


Applications must be submitted via the PICTER LINK.

Any questions?

Please feel free to contact us.

Maria Goirigolzarri - NOOR Foundation Projects Director

maria@noorimages.com

or visit:

www.noorimages.com

https://organvida.com

https://www.instagram.com/nationalgalleryofarmenia/

CROSS-LOOKING: East-West Artistic Residencies is a collaboration between NOOR, Organ Vida International Photography Festival, the National Gallery of Armenia, Université Paris Cité, Unione della Romagna Faentina and Università Iuav di Venezia. The project is co-funded by Creative Europe under project 101174138 — CROSS-LOOKING.

"Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them."

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NOOR'S New Chapter: Embracing Change & Amplifying Voices

“NOOR wants to tell these stories. Their stories. They make a difference. We believe they can change people’s perspectives.” – Stanley Greene

Embracing Change & Amplifying Voices

At the heart of NOOR burns an inextinguishable fire fuelled by a passion to inspire action on the critical issues of our time through the power of visual storytelling. Since our founding in 2007, we have grown into a global collective of artists, storytellers, and visionaries who believe in the transformative impact of visual storytelling to create a fairer, more just place.

As the industry and global culture continue to shift, NOOR has been adapting to meet these changes. After much reflection and with the trust and support of our founding partners, whose legacy will always be a vital part of NOOR, we are taking a significant structural step forward: transitioning from a collectively owned agency led by its photographers to an independent foundation that supports a global community of visual storytellers and educational initiatives. This transformation enables us to more effectively support and showcase a diverse range of voices while carrying NOOR into a sustainable future. We are extremely grateful to NOOR’s authors, shareholders, and NOOR’s interim managing director, Bas Siers, for their guidance and essential contributions in making this important transition possible. Moving ahead, we look forward to continuing to work with NOOR’s former shareholders and the collective of visual storytellers in new and different capacities within our evolving organisational structure.

In line with this new framework, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Sarvenaz Fassihi as our new managing director. Sarvenaz brings extensive experience working with international foundations. With the support of NOOR's team and board, she will ensure a smooth transition to NOOR’s new organisational model.

Sarvenaz Fassihi is an Amsterdam-based strategist and consultant specialising in social impact and the creative and cultural industries. Having worked with global non-profit institutions in various capacities, she has expertise in issues such as gender, the climate crisis, migration, and social change. Sarvenaz holds a master’s degree from the UCLA, and a master’s degree from SOAS. Born in Iran, Sarvenaz spent her childhood living across continents, which has fostered her love for cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Future Vision: Our commitment remains steadfast: to address pressing global challenges—such as climate crisis, forced migration, and social injustice—through the lens of ethical representation and inclusivity. With this new chapter, NOOR aspires to be a global organisation that collaborates with local talent and expands its educational programmes to learn from and contribute to diverse perspectives.

We aim to create a future where visual storytelling reaches new heights, connecting people across borders and bringing critical narratives to the forefront. We are proud to share this exciting news with you and look forward to what we will achieve together.

Interview with Sarvenaz Fassihi

Read the interview with Sarvenaz Fassihi, NOOR's new managing director, as she discusses the foundation's new chapter and her future vision with head of communications & community, Betül Ellialtıoglu.

Photo © William Lounsbury

- Congratulations on your new role, Sarvenaz! Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to take on the role of managing director at NOOR Foundation?

Thank you! Visual artists and cultural facilitators are at the heart of innovation. They are the constant forces propelling cultural, social, and critical policy changes on the pressing issues our world confronts today. I believe in the power of visual storytelling to drive change and connect with audiences across cultures and political spectrums. Having these stories told by the people who are directly affected, or in close contact with issues such as the climate crisis, migration, displacement and conflict is crucial to humanising their experiences, especially in a world where mass media is often, sadly, focused on the dehumanisation of these individuals.

On a personal level, I am a child of immigrants, and have lived in a number of countries because my birthplace was no longer safe. It is the stories and images, kept in boxes and carried with me throughout different stages of life, that have allowed me to understand my own and my people’s history from a nuanced perspective. This has helped me recognise the significance of personal archives in connecting to the shared experiences of others who have faced, and are facing, similar situations.

- Given your extensive experience with foundations, how do you plan to leverage that expertise to shape NOOR's new direction?

My experience with international and local organisations has equipped me with knowledge and expertise in change management that will help NOOR Foundation through its transition to becoming a sustainable organisation. With a strategic vision, a strong team, and the essential input from the NOOR board, partners, and community this goal is no doubt achievable. In addition, I hope to bring in my knowledge and experience, particularly in working with vulnerable and marginalised communities, to the programming of future projects and to NOOR as a whole.

It is very exciting to be a part of NOOR during this organisational transition to a foundation model. I am proud of the NOOR team and founding members for collectively making the decision to preserve its rich legacy while adapting a new model that ensures stories are sourced locally by those whose communities are directly affected. This approach builds local industries and capacities, builds trust, and helps to counter dominant narratives, which are often biased, politically driven, harmful and difficult to verify. I will be working with NOOR’s interim managing director, Bas Siers, and the rest of the NOOR’s dedicated team to ensure a smooth transition.

- NOOR is transitioning to a foundation with a focus on education and global community. How do you envision this shift impacting the organisation’s work and outreach?

I believe NOOR's core values and objectives will remain the same: to advance education and media literacy with a focus on diversity and representation. Our goal is to expand on this with a new organisational model, working with visual storytellers across the globe, supporting them to strengthen their capacities, and connecting them with colleagues and collaborators worldwide. It's amazing what can come out of collective efforts, and our goal in building a community is to create a basis for knowledge and exchange and provide the critical support needed to strengthen and amplify their voices. NOOR's role here is to facilitate this process, acting as a partner to support our community and learn from their experiences as much as they learn from us.

- How do you plan to engage with local communities and artists to ensure their voices are represented in NOOR's initiatives?

We will collaborate with local visual storytellers and past and present NOOR authors as facilitators and mentors for our educational programmes. They will provide valuable insights to inform us of local contexts and needs when co-creating these programmes. With environmental sustainability as part of our core ethos, we will also work with our local partners to develop exhibitions within their communities, countries, and regions. The NOOR Foundation will serve as a vehicle to share their stories and collaboratively present these exhibitions worldwide, with sustainability at its core, to influence mainstream narratives and inspire dialogue and debate to co-create change.

- What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for NOOR in this transition, and how do you plan to address them?

The biggest opportunities and challenges go hand in hand. The challenge lies in the current state of our world: media saturation, censorship, political polarisation, and a disconnect between people and communities. However, this also presents our greatest opportunity: to collaborate with remarkable individuals and minds to take back conversations and spaces, focus on humanity and solutions, and create connection and nuanced perspectives.

- Finally, what message would you like to share with NOOR’s supporters and partners as we begin this exciting new chapter together?

Your support is invaluable and greatly appreciated during this exciting time of transition for NOOR. It is only through collective action that we can create a more just world, where every human story is valued and every image and narrative makes a difference. We look forward to engaging with all of you and sharing this journey together.

Header photo: © Stanley Greene / NOOR

Survivors of the Samashki massacre - Women and children took flight after an infamous massacre. Russian troops are accused of destroying the village by torching houses, pillaging, raping and executing civilians. Of 100 people killed, only four were identified as rebels, April 1995.

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Visualising Regenerative Agriculture Practises: Participants announced

Announcing the participants of the Visualising Regenerative Agriculture Practises. Eight visual storytellers will take part in the Advanced Mentoring Programme of the NOOR Foundation led by mentors Bénédicte Kurzen and Aïda Muluneh in Côte d’Ivoire in 2023.

Backed by the Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Abidjan, the NOOR Foundation will support eight visual storytellers in the identification, research and realisation of stories that investigate and highlight regenerative agricultural practices in Côte d'Ivoire.

Regenerative agriculture is an outcome-based food production system that aims to have a lower, or even net-positive environmental impact on the Earth. In the African context, regenerative agriculture means using smart farming techniques that work synergistically with the local climate and fertilise the soil while restoring lost wildlife and biodiversity. These high-yield techniques produce enough food to help feed a growing population and improve livelihoods in food systems. They also make the farms more resilient and adaptive, able to handle the changes in weather caused by climate change. 

The adoption of regenerative agriculture practices has the potential to improve the livelihoods and resilience of farmers, processors and consumers. It can also help restore natural systems which, in the case of West Africa, are highly eroded from centuries of intensive farming.  

This programme is a 6-month advanced visual storytelling training course during which the participants will be guided and supported by the mentors and the educational team of the NOOR Foundation in the creation of impactful stories on regenerative agriculture practises in Côte d'Ivoire and Benin.

Mentored by award-winning photographers Bénédicte Kurzen (France) and Aïda Muluneh (Ethiopia / based in Côte d'Ivoire), the programme is a combination of a physical workshop in Abidjan and an online mentorship programme to develop individual projects on regenerative agriculture in the region.

PARTICIPANTS

The program's results will be showcased on the NOOR Foundation's website, social media, and at a closing event organized by participants, mentors, the NOOR Foundation, a local cultural institution, and the Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Abidjan.

At this event, the work will be publicly displayed as an exhibition or digital presentation. The goal is to connect with young and diverse audiences, discussing the significance of embracing regenerative practices as a viable solution to environmental concerns and the challenges posed by the climate crisis.

Header image: © Mira Mariani

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Open Call: NOOR Visual Storytelling Educational Programme on regenerative agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire

Submissions are open for the NOOR Visual Storytelling Educational Programme on regenerative agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire.

As the climate crisis accelerates and intensifies beyond the most dramatic projections, science-based research, indigenous knowledge and reciprocal practices tells us that we must restore our land, if we are to stand a chance at surviving the future. 

Are you a visual storyteller, photographer or visual artist interested in investigating and documenting regenerative agricultural practices in West Africa and their immense potential to make a positive societal and environmental impact on the region? Apply with an ongoing project or a project idea you hope to realise for a chance to earn a place in the tuition-free 6 months mentoring programme of the NOOR Foundation with authors Bénédicte Kurzen and Aïda Muluneh.

In the coming decades, Africa is set to become home to 40% of the world’s population and one region in particular, the 600-mile stretch between Abidjan and Lagos in West Africa is experiencing fast paced development at an astonishing speed. This rapid population growth, combined with extreme changes in the climate and the ecosystems it supports poses a very serious question: how is the region going to be able to feed the ever-growing population?

Experts believe the only solution lies in regenerative agriculture: an outcome-based food production system that aims to have a lower, or even net-positive environmental impact on the Earth. In the African context, regenerative agriculture means using smart farming techniques that work synergistically with the local climate and fertilise the soil while restoring lost wildlife and biodiversity. These high-yield techniques produce enough food to help feed a growing population and improve livelihoods in food systems. They also make the farms more resilient and adaptive, able to handle the changes in weather caused by climate change. 

The adoption of regenerative agriculture practices has the potential to improve the livelihoods and resilience of farmers, processors and consumers. It can also help restore natural systems which, in the case of West Africa, are highly eroded from centuries of intensive farming.  

Backed by the Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Abidjan, the NOOR Foundation will support eight French-speaking Ivorian visual storytellers in the realisation of stories that investigate and highlight regenerative agricultural practices in Côte d'Ivoire.

What are the topics we are looking for:


Stories surrounding agricultural practices, challenges, issues and solutions in Côte d'Ivoire in times of climate change – that is the focus for the research and images produced during the NOOR Educational Programme.

What you receive when selected:

  • Tuition-free participation to the programme;

  • Travel costs, accommodation and food paid for during the 5-day live workshop (2 October - 6 October 2023);

  • 5-6 month mentoring programme by the NOOR Foundation in French;

  • 3-5 one-on-one online sessions with one of the mentors;

  • Participation of your story in the closing event in Abidjan which will take the form of an exhibition, a public presentation event, or a combination of different presentation forms;

  • Publication and promotion of your story on all the NOOR communications channels: newsletters, social media and website;

  • Access to the NOOR Network, a dynamic, international community where a variety of opportunities (including exhibitions, assignments, and other educational activities) will be openly accessible. 

What we expect from you when selected: 

  • Cooperation, flexibility, professionalism and commitment to the project: please keep in mind that when you are selected we are denying entry to someone else. 

  • Availability to travel to Abidjan to attend the live workshop between 2-6 October 2023, which is a mandatory part of the programme.

  • A visual story to deliver at the end of the programme (January-February 2024) composed of:

  1. Images (at least 20 high res captioned still and/or moving images: we also accept film/video but take note that we prefer photographs or a mix of both mediums); 

  2. A title and a project description (max. 500 words) in French;

  3. A source sheet wherein all data points have a note that connect them to a reliable source.

The programme is divided in 4 phases:

  1. An online kick-off session where you will be informed on the programme and mutual expectations.

  2. A 5-day live workshop in Abidjan between 02-06 October 2023 with mentors Bénédicte Kurzen and Aïda Muluneh;

  3. A 4 month online mentoring programme composed of 3-5 one-on-one sessions aimed at supporting the development and production of your chosen story;

  4. A closing event in Abidjan wherein your work will be presented publicly in the form of an exhibition or a digital presentation.

Apply before 28 July 2023 - 23:59 p.m. CET following the guidelines in the document below for a chance to participate in this unique opportunity.

©Aïda Muluneh - The Silence of Within - 2019

For any inquiries on the programme and the application process please write to stefano@noorimages.com.

Header photo: © Benedicte Kurzen / NOOR

Open Call: Wacken Rock ‘n Roll Photography Workshop

Applications are open for the 2023 Wacken Rock'n Roll Photography Workshop

The Wacken Rock ‘n Roll Photography Workshop is a tuition-free educational initiative launched as a collaboration between the Wacken Foundation and the NOOR Foundation. Taking the opportunity of the 2023 Wacken Open Air festival (2 - 5 August 2023) and led by NOOR author Pep Bonet, it will support six selected English-speaking photographers by facilitating the development of their visual mastery in music, event and festival photography.

During the 4-day workshop, you will be working as part of a group and gain the unique opportunity of creating a variety of images with a fresh style - shooting, editing and post-producing new photography work on the Wacken Open Air festival grounds, which will be shared on the official Wacken communication channels.

About the Workshop

  • The workshop (and application) is free

  • Application deadline is 25 June 2023, 23:59 CET

  • The workshop takes place on the festival grounds of Wacken Open Air, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

  • The workshop will be conducted in English. Open to English-speaking photographers of all ages and career stages

  • Photographers with physical and/or invisible disabilities are also encouraged to apply, special accommodations will be provided to ensure optimal participation experience for everyone

  • It’s easy to apply through Picter

The criteria for selection of candidates is as follows:

  • Portfolios will be reviewed on the basis of original, human-focused storytelling, including but not limited to community focus on musicians, teams, attendees, volunteers and the many faces of human connection in music festival culture

  • Personal moments of humour, spontaneity, fun and memorable moments

  • Inclusive and ethical representation of diverse individuals, couples and groups

  • Capacity for the creation of rich single images that are exciting, expressive or captivating

  • Capacity for the creation of visual stories that can act as effective communication

  • We push for gender parity, and actively pursue equal representation of candidates

    For any questions, please email NOOR Projects Director Maria Goirigolzarri at maria@noorimages.com

Header photo: © Fabian Ritter

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Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme Participants Announced

Announcing the NOOR Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme participants. 10 visual storytellers will take part in the intensive workshops led by mentors Benedicte Kurzen and Ishola Akpo in Ivory Coast in 2023.

The NOOR Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme is a long-term training tract in partnership with the Chocolonely Foundation. We have joined hands to organise an extensive educational programme in West Africa to bring together young talent and communities, create a collective space, develop creative collaborative processes, and shape up new narratives.

This initiative will bring together the talent of regional visual storytellers, the knowledge of community facilitators, the NOOR mentoring expertise and the underrepresented voices of the workers of the cocoa communities in Ivory Coast.

Our international panel of jury members has selected 10 participants who will take part in this programme in 2023.

Photo: © Clara Watt

participants

Photo: © Ayaba Lina Florence Mensah

Header photo: © Ngadi Smart

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Meet the jury: NOOR Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme

It's time to introduce our multitalented international jury who will select the participants of the Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme taking place in Ivory Coast this year.

The NOOR Advanced Visual Storytelling Educational Programme is a long-term training tract in partnership with the Chocolonely Foundation. We have joined hands to organise an extensive educational programme in West Africa to bring together young talent and communities, create a collective space, develop creative collaborative processes, and shape up new narratives.

This initiative will bring together the talent of regional visual storytellers, the knowledge of community facilitators, the NOOR mentoring expertise and the underrepresented voices of the workers of the cocoa communities in Ivory Coast.

This week, our international panel of highly accomplished jury members is coming together to choose out of all the applications we received 12 participants who will take part in this programme in 2023.

Ken Aicha Sy – founder Wakh’Art and Idea Box

Ken Aicha Sy was born in Dakar, from a Franco-Martinican mother, journalist and a Senegalese plastic artist father, she grew up in the Senegalese capital before going to study in Paris in Design and Art History ... It was during the period of the World Festival of Negro Arts that Ken Aicha returned to Senegal. Sensitive to the creative environment and the cause of Senegalese artists, she sets up a cultural platform called Wakh'Art to participate in the promotion of Senegalese cultural industries. Sometimes producer, sometimes curator, Ken Aicha Sy is a woman active in culture. Through her space the Idea Box, now installed on the small coast, she fights to follow her motto: she works to make art a factor of development and emancipation.


Ishola Akpo – photographer, programme mentor

Ishola Akpo (b. 1983) is a photographer and multimedia artist in Benin. The artist experiments with the possibilities of digital mediums, while mixing modernities and traditions in his work, playing on different levels of reading to make plural metaphors. The border between reality and fiction, fixed identities and multiple identities, remains at the heart of his approach. In 2013, he won the Visa pour la Creation (French Institute, Paris), where he presented the series Pas de flash sil vous plait! – A reflection on the interaction of light on photographed subjects, presented in the form of a performance and exhibition at the Institut Francais de Cotonou.
In 2014, he published the series L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux (Africa Is NoIsland, MACAAL, Fair 1.54 in Morocco, 2018), based on a family experience, which illustrates his grandmother's dowry, while insisting on its memory load.

This reflection will lead him to explore contemporary marriage. In 2015, with the series Les maris de notre poque, Ishola Akpo, won the Photoquai, entering the collection of the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris.
Since then he has multiples artistic residencies: Montresso Foundation (Morocco) with the Dabi series and more recently the Zinsou Foundation (Benin) with 'AGBARA Women' presented at the Ouidah Museum as an ode to the power of women, embodied with portraits of known and forgotten queens from African history. His work has been presented in several major international events including: The Museum of the History of Immigration, (Palais de la Porte Dore, Africa 2020 - Paris), Weltkulturen Museum Frankfurt (Germany), Fotonoviembre, Tenerife (Spain), Nuit Blanche de Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Lagosphotos Festival (Nigeria), Festival Afreaka (Brazil).


Julie Banâtre and Léa Perier Loko – founders and directors SEPTIEME Gallery

SEPTIEME transmits a cosmopolitan vision, by questioning affiliations and exploring the subtlety of the world. The gallery hopes to disturb perceptions and work with commitment, to make its activity a manifesto of the in-between.

Founded in 2019 in Paris in the 7th arrondissement, the gallery quickly took on significant growth where it imposed its place as a young, dynamic and cosmopolitan gallery. The gallery works in favor of an international influence and a deep integration into the world art market, by participating in fairs in cities as eclectic as they are pillars of the art world (Beirut, Cape Town, London, Lagos, New York, Miami).

Based in Paris in a Haussmann-style setting, SEPTIEME wanted to open a second space in September 2022 in Cotonou, Benin, in a 200m2 warehouse in the center of the city in order to offer exhibitions in a new format to meet people. of the public in the West African sub-region. It made sense for SEPTIEME to deploy its vision spatially and participate in pushing back the frontiers of contemporary art as well as contributing to the construction of new strongholds of contemporary art, the city of Cotonou being in full cultural and artistic for several years.


Illa G. Donwahi – president and artistic director Donwahi Foundation

Born in Abidjan, Illa G. Donwahi, an economist by training, grew up in Ivory Coast, before continuing her studies in France and the United States.
Collector, independent curator, I. G. Donwahi created in 2008 in Abidjan the Charles Donwahi Foundation for contemporary art, with the general objectives to participate in the socialization of art, and to remedy the ignorance from which the whole of African artistic production internationally, but also within the borders of the continent.

Visual arts, living arts, through its exhibition programs, its workshops, artist residencies, external collaborations, the Donwahi Foundation dedicates its spaces to contemporary creation in all its plurality, and thus brings support, accompaniment, visibility to creators and animators of the cultural scene. An incubator, a place of exchange and sharing open to artists from all walks of life, and to the public, the donwahi foundation also aims to be a place of convergence and transmission of our identities, a bridge between our past, our present and our future.

Illa g. Donwahi has also participated as a curator or speaker at various editions of the Dakar Biennale, at art fairs paris art fair, 1:54 london, akaa. External collaborations include major projects such as the moleskine foundation's atwork program, the one carried out with the sindika dokolo foundation, and with the "clavé archives" at the 2022 venice biennale, as well as future partnerships with, in particular, the nubuke foundation , and the secular solidarity association. Keynote speaker at the opening of the 2018 cape town fair, member of the catchlight 2020 visual leadership fellowship jury, portfolios reviewer at addis foto fest, panelist at canex weekend 2022.

Seydou Camara – photographer, artistic director of Yamarou photo

Seydou Camara, born in 1983 in Ségou in the fourth administrative region in Mali. Since his childhood, he has had a passion for the image. Thus, after obtaining his degree in private law at the University of Bamako, he preferred to enroll in 2007 at the Center de Formation en photographie (CFP) in Bamako.
After exhibiting at Documenta 14 in Athens, Greece and Documenta 15 in Kassel (Germany). He was just the finalist for the Howard Chapnick Scholarship 2022.

In 2018 he was selected for the 100 photographers of the World who exhibited at the festival in Wilson. He is the holder of the Fondation Blachère prize; He was selected for the 11th and 8th edition of the Biennale des Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie in Bamako. Subsequently his images were published in many catalogs and magazines such as l'Insensé and Aperture.
He trains many young people in photography in all regions of Mali and in the sub-regions. He has also hosted conferences in the United States, Switzerland and France, his works are collected by one of the largest museums in the United States and at Carlton University. He is the founder of "collective Yamarou - Photo: A space for exchange and meeting around photography". He was also the president of Phot'art Mali.


Bénédicte Kurzen – photographer, NOOR author

Kurzen’s photographic career began when she moved to Israel in 2003, covering hard news as a freelancer in the Gaza Strip, Iraq and Lebanon. Bénédicte holds a master’s degree in Contemporary History from the Sorbonne, Paris. For the past twenty years, Bénédicte has been covering conflicts and socio-economical changes in Africa. In South Africa, where she was based, she explored some of the deepest social challenges of the post-apartheid society producing “Next of Kin”, “The Boers Last Stand” and “Amaqabane”, on the life of former anti-apartheid combatants. The latest was produced for the prestigious World Press Joop Swart Masterclass 2008.

In 2011, she received a grant from the Pulitzer Center, which allowed her to produce a body of work on Nigeria, “A Nation Lost to Gods”. Her work has been screened and exhibited at Visa pour l’Image and was nominated for the Visa d’Or in 2012. After becoming a NOOR full member in 2012, she decided to move to Lagos, from where she could pursue her coverage of Africa, with a focus on Nigeria. She won a World Press Photo for her collaborative project with NOOR Photographer Sanne De Wilde for "Land of Ibeji" in 2019. 


Élise Fitte-Duval – artist and photographer

Artist born in Martinique, Élise Fitte-Duval lives and works in Senegal for twenty years. She graduated from the School of Plastic Arts of Martinique (DNAP, 1989) and the National School of Arts Decorative Paris in photography in 1996. She pursues a photographic search for form narrative. She received the Casa Africa award for a woman photographer at the Photographic Meetings of Bamako 2011. Until 2018, Élise Fitte-Duval was photographer editor at the Panapress press agency, pan-African news agency at the headquarters in Dakar. One of her first series “Portraits Nus” produced in Paris, where she resided at the time, was presented during the Revue Noire exhibition in Bamako in 1994, at the des Trois Continents in Nantes in 1998 and appeared in the anthology of black woman photography: The Black Female Body by Deborah Willis.

Seeking to tell stories, she became interested in world of creation of contemporary dancers Africans. This research has been exposed under the title. Dance for Hope at the Pan-African PANAF Festival in Algiers within the exhibition Reflections of Africa and at the gallery Le Carousel in the collective exhibition Danses, in June 2009. Since then, she continues to collaborate with the companies of dance. Continuing her series of portraits of humans in their struggles with everyday life, she exhibits her series Vivre les pays in water at the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Cape Town in 2010, at the Fort-de-France festival and was finally awarded at the Bamako Biennale in 2011. Then she continued her narrative research by working on the topicality of civic engagement, Dakar, Ouagadougou and Madrid. His reflection on the city and its inhabitants evolves with the Trottoirs series in 2018. It collaborates with organizations to which it offers its vision of portraits and landscapes, in particular his last virtual exhibition "Invisible Giants", in 2020.


Marie-Cécile Zinsou – founder and artistic director Zinsou Foundation 

Born in 1982, of French and Beninese nationality, Marie-Cécile Zinsou, after studies in France and England, began teaching art history in Benin, at the secondary school of crafts Sos Hermann Gmeiner, in Abomey Calavi, in 2003. In 2005, she created, in Cotonou, the Zinsou Foundation, dedicated to contemporary art and her influence – foundation over which she presides and of which she is the artistic director. In 2013, she opened the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ouidah and joined the Global Museum Leader Colloquium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Since 2015, Marie-Cécile Zinsou has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles and, since 2019, of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Islamic Cultures. She chairs the board of directors of La Maison Maria Casarès, a cultural center dedicated at the theater, located in Charente.

On the proposal of the French Minister of Culture in October 2021, the president of the French Republic appointed Marie-Cécile Zinsou Chairman of the Board Board of Directors of the French Academy in Rome - Villa Medici for a term of three years. Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, she received through the action of the Foundation Zinsou, the Praemium Imperiale - Grant for young artists - in 2014 in Japan.



Header photo: © Ishola Akpo



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NOOR Authors share their favourite images of the year 2022

Looking back at 2022, NOOR Authors share their favourite images of the year.

Tanya Habjouqa

© Tanya Habjouqa / NOOR

"Beita -- I imagine intergalactic rebels. An outake from a series I did for ICRC called "We Never Left the Mountain". An exploration into Beita's nonviolent approach to resistance against territorial expropriation in the town of Beita. Despite the high price Beita has paid and the settlers’ evacuation of the outpost, the Israeli military has turned the site into a base. Since May 2021, ten Palestinians have been killed, including two children, and many were injured or left with disabilities as a result of confrontations in Jabal Sabih in Beita. Amid attempts by Israeli settlers to re-establish an outpost on Jabal Sabih contrary to the law, Palestinian villagers have expressed their opposition in the form of marches and protests, bringing them into confrontations with the Israel Forces. The image illustrates their tactics in "night confusion" utilizing lasers and music and prayer on loud speakers.”

– Tanya Habjouqa

Alixandra fazzina

© Alixandra Fazzina / NOOR

“On western shores, where the Atlantic Ocean rains down its waters shaping the landscape, Ireland’s peatlands are one of Europe’s last great wildernesses. Unique ecosystems, these dark yet fragile habitats that cloak the hills, not only absorb and store vast amounts of carbon but also clean and regulate water, playing a key role in preventing flooding. Degradation of the peatlands however, has reached a critical tipping point.”

– Alixandra Fazzina

Kadir van lohuizen

© Kadir van Lohuizen / NOOR

“This is an image which is part of my project on the food industry ‘Food for thought’. For the first time in my career I was forced to remain in the Netherlands and had to find a way and look professionally in my own backyard. I knew the Netherlands was a big food producer, but being the second producer of agricultural commodities in the world? How is that possible in such a small country? Is it part of a solution or is it showcasing an unsustainable system? My quest for an answer continues in other parts of the world this year.”

– Kadir van Lohuizen

sanne de wilde

The image is of my project ‘Land of Ibeji’, but it is part of a new piece that I would like to develop further in the future. Thanks to the support of Nikon and the Flemish delegation in Paris - from whom we received support for our exhibition in Arles - I was able to print fabrics with photos for the first time, which is what this image is. It is a research -work in progress- around the colonial tissue by means of visual research into the nonverbal storytelling in textile art.

– Sanne De Wilde

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After Us The Deluge: Exhibition Kadir van Lohuizen opens in Islamabad, Pakistan

The human consequences of the rising sea level.

Running time: February 16 – 22, 2023
Location: Near Baradari, Bolan Gate (Gate-2), Fatimah Jinnah Park (F-9 Park), Islamabad 

2023 marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Both countries share a rich history of strong economic cooperation and cultural relations. 

The Netherlands Embassy in Pakistan presents  - After Us The Deluge - the work of renowned Dutch photographer Kadir van Lohuizen. The exhibition shows the impact on communities of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Also included is a photo by Manoj Genani - winner of Water is Life Photo Competition and a poster from Pakistan (1953) - advertising the Netherlands Floods Relief Efforts.

2022 was a difficult year for Pakistan with economic challenges and catastrophic floods. The disaster caused massive losses to human lives, property, infrastructure, agriculture lands and livestock; one third of the country was submerged in water. 

As an emergency response, the Netherlands provided financial assistance and technical support in flood mitigating measures to Pakistan.

The Netherlands has decades of experience dealing with rising waters and floods and Dutch companies are known worldwide for their solutions and expertise in flood management. Building upon the successes and achievements of the past 75 years, both countries are committed to continue to work together in solving global challenges for a prosperous future.

© Kadir van Lohuizen / NOOR

After Us The Deluge looks at the human consequences of the rising sea level. Due to the climate crisis the glaciers all over the world are retreating and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica are melting at an alarming pace. Also the expansion of seawater due to warming of the upper kilometer or of the ocean is a large contributor. The melting of the Greenlandic icecap and glacial melt, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica, are the large contributors. If the icecap of Greenland completely melts the sea would rise 7 meters, if Antarctica would completely melt the rise would be 80 meters.

Coastal erosion, inundation, loss of fresh drinking water resources and frequent coastal surges mean that people have to flee their homes. Should humanity start preparing for the biggest displacement of mankind in known history?

The future human cost of rising sea levels is dramatic. The entire country of Kiribati, for example, will have to relocate, while it is estimated that in Bangladesh about 50 million people will need to move from the delta region by 2050. Nobody knows where they will go. The east coast of the USA is experiencing sea level rise which is three-times higher than the global average. It is predicted that major centres such as the Miami Beach area will need to be evacuated by 2060.

After Us The Deluge provides visual coverage of how climate change is already affecting places where people live, Greenland with its melting glaciers, Kiribati, Fiji, the Carteret islands in Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, the Guna Yala archipelago in Panama, the United Kingdom, Jakarta, the Marshall islands, the Netherlands and the United States. Before the sea floods land permanently, sea water intrudes at high tides, making once-fertile land no longer viable for crops and water undrinkable. The exhibition shows people who still live in affected areas, but also those who have already moved to safer ground. The exhibition also shows what could be done to prevent great loss of land, but does ask the question if we are doing sufficient with all the knowledge we have. Can the world really meet the goal that temperatures should not rise above 1.5 degrees or are we continuing like this and will make the planet for many parts unliveable for future generations? If so this will create conflicts on a very large scale and we will experience massive numbers of people fleeing coastal regions. 

I hope that After Us The Deluge will contribute to a better understanding of what is happening already today and will make us all realise that there is no time to waste. 

– Kadir van Lohuizen | NOOR

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