Fritt Ord Foundation founds the Norwegian Journal of Photography

December 17 2010

In founding the Norwegian Journal of Photography (NJP) and in collaboration with photographers and picture editors Rune Eraker, Laara Matsen and Espen Rasmussen, the Fritt Ord Foundation wishes to establish a forum for independent documentary photography. NJP will publish a large-format book intended to present the best of Norwegian documentary photography and invites both seasoned and younger photographers to submit project ideas which can give them the opportunity to be one of the 10 photographers selected. The closing date for applications is 15 February 2011, and the editorial board will hand down its decision by 25 March 2011. The first book will be published in autumn 2012. See: www.njp.no

NJP is a project borne of the Fritt Ord Foundation’s efforts to strengthen the position of documentary photography in Norway. In 2006, the Fritt Ord Foundation called for applications for project funding for civic-minded photographers. The projects were carried out between 2007 and 2009, and resulted in the exhibition “Norwegian documentary photography” at the Henie Onstad Art Centre in autumn 2009, as well as the publication of the book “Norwegian Documentary Photography” by Forlaget Press the same year.

We now aspire to follow up this programme by establishing a forum for documentary photography. This will be an arena where independent photographers who work in the interface between traditional press photography on the one hand and art photography on the other, can exhibit the full range of their projects. It will be a milieu that can encourage and criticise such work.

The Norwegian Journal of Photography (NJP) will bring together and support selected Norwegian photographic documentary projects, and produce a book for national and international distribution that will be published every second year. Our goal is to reflect and communicate the more prestigious position of Norwegian photography at the international level, as well as to improve the documentary photography community in Norway. We aspire to create an inspiring forum where Norwegian photographers can show their works internationally, while continuing to produce relevant, debate-provoking and exciting visual stories. After completing the process of selection, the projects of 10 photographers will be selected for NJP’s first publication. During the two-year cycle, these photographers will receive editing assistance as well as help to apply for financial support. They will participate in master’s classes and seminars featuring prominent international guest lecturers.

Among others, the editors Aidan Sullivan from Getty Images Assignments and David Griffin from National Geographic, as well as photographers Brenda Anne Kenneally, Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webbhave confirmed their participation. The Fritt Ord Foundation will also organise open seminars with these experts.

Our goal with NJP is to create a dynamic, relevant and representative book about Norwegian documentary photography, demonstrating the best visual expressions combined with strong storytelling abilities. We encourage photographers to challenge the definition of the concept documentary photography while working to produce robust, consistent and independent visual stories. Applicants for NJP can submit proposals for a new project or a photo project that has already commenced. The projects will be presented on an ongoing basis on the website at www.njp.no

Contact:
Rune Eraker, chief editor of the Norwegian Journal of Photography (NJP), mobile: (47) 952 51 175
Bente Roalsvig, project director, Fritt Ord Foundation, mobile: (47) 916-13340

Press Release, Monday, 20 December 2010

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