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Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 2015:
Matthew Finn, Joanna Piotrowska and Tereza Zelenkova

Jerwood Space, London SE14 November–13 December 2015
Previews 3 November 2015

A group exhibition of new photography enabled bythe first national Jerwood/Photoworks Awards will openat Jerwood Space London, 4 November-13 December 2015, touring to Impressions Gallery, Bradford 5January-19 March 2016.

Three artistswere selected from a call for applications to UK based photography practitioners within tenyears of establishing their practice. Each has received an award of £5,000 to support the making of newwork for this exhibition, with a significant production fund and advice from a pool of thirteen Mentorsincluding Alec Soth, Gillian Wearing, Broomberg & Chanarin and Michael Mackas well as curatorial advicefrom both of the award giving organisations.

Matthew Finn has been photographing his mother in a series ofcollaborative portraits since 1987.
Mother draws us into the fascinating dynamic of mother and sonofferingan intense and honest view of thismost natural and universal of bonds.His Jerwood/Photoworks Award has enabled Matthew to revisit thisseries at an emotional time that has seen his mother, Jean, move from herfamily home into an assistedliving residence. Jean’s mental health has changed her role in the portraits from active participant to one ofan observed subject; widening thefocus of his images towards objects and metaphor.

Joanna Piotrowska’s work explores anxiety and the effects of global and political events on the individual.Counteracting the passive role encouraged of adolescent girls, Joanna has enlisted young women torecreate poses from self-defence manuals.She offers the viewer areclamation of the private body from thepublicsphere, and re-contextualising theseposes within a domestic setting, feeds our fascination with theuncanny or the unheimlich.

Tereza Zelenkova has travelled to her native Czech Republic to explore themes of history, local legendand folklore. Tereza’s Jerwood/Photoworks Award enabled her to visit numerous locations, but the resultingimages seem themselves out ofplace and time. Her eerily beautiful, black and white photographs ofwoodlands, stone structures and relics form their own dream-like, subconscious world, where stories fuelthe viewer’s interpretation.

In a joint statement Celia Davies, Director of Photoworks and Shonagh Manson, Director of JerwoodCharitable Foundation said:

The Jerwood/Photoworks Awards are all about recognising future potential, supporting talented artists andtheir next steps. Working with our Awardees throughout the creative production process and seeing theideas behind their projects develop into such strong bodies of work that may not otherwise have beenmade has been hugely rewarding. We’re looking forward to seeing where our Awardees’ career paths leadand to announcing the call for entries for the 2017 Jerwood/Photoworks Awards in autumn 2016.

All press enquiries to Anna-Maria Pfab,[email protected]