Artist
Roxana Rios
echo
echo examines relations between self-expression, attribution, and socio-cultural codes within self-portarits. Within a studio set of three synchronized cameras, distinct lines between operator, referent, and spectator dissolve. Roland Barthes' four imaginary dimensions1 interlink as a reflection of the cis-heterosexual matrix and gendered
markers. As a trans body, I am continually navigating internalized as well as projected politics of the gaze. echo examines the role of photography in (de-)constructing
traditional identity categories to develop pluralistic views of individual and collective identity.
Since its invention in the 19th century, photography has played a significant role not only as a technical medium but also as a cultural tool in the construction and representation of identity. It serves not only to document individual existences but has historically also contributed to the consolidation of social hierarchies and power structures. In particular, portrait photography established tools for exclusionary practices and actively contributed to the construction of normative social frameworks. echo is works as a critical analysis of these cultural constructions and dynamics between self- and outside perception. Barthes describes the photographic portrait as a „closed field of forces“, in which four elements operate: the self-/desired image, the external image, and the craft. This interplay makes the portrait a complex and dynamic object, reflecting both the subject's identity as well as the perceptions of the photographer and viewers. echo shifts and expands this closed field of forces, examining the images as cultural signs2.
1 „In front of the lens, I am simultaneously the person I believe myself to be, the person I wish to be seen as, the person the photographer sees me as, and the person through whom the photographer demonstrates their skill." 4 Roland Barthes, 1989, Suhrkamp Verlag, p. 22
2 Symbolism and iconography are crucial in portrait photography. Visual codes deeply rooted in socio-cultural contexts influence interpretation and attribution 4 and thus perception and representation of identity. These codes are not static; a portrait can convey a range of meanings that vary depending on context and perspective. The core questions of my exploration are how self-images (Images or notions that individuals and societies create about themselves, often shaped by media and cultural
representations), shaping techniques (refers to the technological and media means through which identity is constructed and conveyed), and identity practices (concrete actions and behaviors through which identity is created and negotiated, both individually and societally) interrelate, with a focus on trans bodies.
Figure, Form
Figure, Form is a self-determined counterpart to both artistic as well as social political discourses and understandings of "canon" and sees itself as an ongoing collection of queer/trans excellence and intelligence. Besides a practice of critical rejection, visibility and a formation of community are among the most important goals of the work. Figure, Form treats physicality as a sovereign medium dedicated to self-realization. No distribution for the development of social gender is ascribed to the body per se, gender identity is understood as a performative practice. Thus Figure, Form tests bodily (re)conquests, inscriptions into, and queering of prevailing narratives as a point of reference for future comprehension. The project aims to understand the body as a fluid material and works for un-doings / subversion of hegemonic gazes and a reclaiming of self, body and visibility.
Florian Gatzweiler offers a sensitive exploration of the invisible mechanisms of power and masculinity within the prison system. Created in collaborative dialogue with inmates, his work Räume, die challenges existing structures and opens new perspectives on social hierarchies and violence. With remarkable visual and conceptual clarity, the portrait series makes societal orders visible and fosters critical reflection on masculinity. After graduating from Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie in Berlin in 2024, this opportunity will reinforce Florian in taking the next step in his artistic journey and further develop his practice through the exchange with other experts and artists. (Cale Garrido, Curator 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg)
Julius Schien’s project Rechtes Land builds a comprehensive documentation of the devastating impact of right-wing violence across Germany. As the work grows, it becomes an urgent index and a mirror of race-based crime across the state, from which we must learn and reflect. His photographs, depicting the ordinary settings where these heinous acts occur, serve as a stark reminder of the disturbingly commonplace nature of murder when fueled by the normalization of racism in the national psyche. If photography has a vital role, it is indeed to make sure we remember all those whose lives are wrecked by intolerance, hatred, and violence. (Mark Sealy, Artistic Director 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg)
The intimate portraits and landscape shots of Ksenia Ivanova’s series Between the Trees of the South Caucasus convey a sense of time frozen in place – even beyond the moment of capture. Stunningly beautiful and profoundly clear, her pictures are at the same time highly relevant: the series concludes with images of people in Georgia protesting in the streets against the new pro-Russian government. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the series raises fundamental questions about the future of regions and the consequences for those who live there. It is precisely these parallels that make Ksenia Ivanova’s documentary photography so significant. (Stephanie Bunk, Curator, Freundeskreis des Hauses der Photographie)
In My Fascist Grandpa, Laura Fiorio explores aphasia—the inability to speak about one’s own dark past—particularly in relation to colonial and imperial histories. By intertwining personal archive material with collected images from open calls and projecting them onto monumental heritage sites like Borgo Rizza, she bridges private, untold narratives with institutionalized history. Her work exposes violent pasts, challenges power structures, and brings hidden stories into the public realm. Through collaboration with communities, she fosters knowledge exchange between the powerful and the marginalized, making a vital contribution to contemporary and historical discourse. (Bettina Freimann, Project Director 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg)
Roxana Rios explores gender identity as a performative act, in which bodily presence and photographic self-representation are shaped in non-conforming and subversive ways. Moving beyond binary roles and refusing objectifying gazes, the portrayed individuals in the ongoing portrait series FIGURE, FORM claim space to shape both themselves and their image on their own terms. Contributing to queer narratives within photographic historiography, the project seeks to reclaim selfhood, the body, and representation as acts of empowerment. The series serves as an invitation and a reference framework, envisioning bodily representations that exist outside societally and algorithmically conditioned visual regimes. (Nadine Isabelle Henrich, Curator House of Photography at Deichtorhallen Hamburg)
Selection committee:
Mark Sealy (Artistic Director 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026, Director Autograph BP)
Cale Garrido (Curator 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026)
Bettina Freimann (Project Director 9th Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026)
Nadine Isabelle Henrich (Curator, House of Photography at Deichtorhallen Hamburg)
Stephanie Bunk (Freundeskreis des Hauses der Photographie Hamburg)
