AMSTERDAM.- Unseen presents the first image of the Unseen 2015 campaign, created by emerging Hungarian artist Peter Puklus (b. 1980, Romania). The campaign is the result of an exciting collaboration between the award-winning, Budapest-based artist and Unseen, a fair and festival embracing new photography.

Over the past years, Unseen has established a tradition of inviting talented artists to create the annual Unseen campaign images. Following previous Unseen campaign artists Blommers & Schumm, Viviane Sassen, and Lorenzo Vitturi, this year Unseen invited Peter Puklus to create the 2015 campaign images. The 2015 Unseen campaign visualises various interpretations of a sculpted self-portrait of Peter Puklus. In creating the sculpture, Puklus reinterpreted the only remaining photograph of a sculpture by Hungarian avant-garde artist Joseph Csaky (Head, 1913), which was either lost or destroyed. The artist photographed the resulting sculpture in various contexts, superimposing different colour-palettes onto the scene. The resulting photographs – several of which will be available for purchase in limited editions at Unseen 2015 – explore the visual conventions of self-portraiture and territories of photography beyond the frame.

Peter Puklus explains: “The campaign came at a perfect time, allowing me to reflect deeper on the story of this sculpture, which runs parallel to the ‘unseen’ idea. Made from the very temporary material of plaster, it disappeared after a year. It no longer exists; all that remains is one photograph. Nobody knows what the side or the back of this sculpture looked like. Bringing alive new perspectives of it has become part of my process.”

INTRODUCING THE AMSTERDAM UNSEEN FESTIVAL
Over the past three years, Unseen established an acclaimed on-site festival programme at Westergasfabriek. For the 2015 edition, Unseen is proud to announce the launch of Amsterdam Unseen Festival, an extended festival programme in the city.

During the month of September, Amsterdam Unseen Festival brings together the city’s many institutions, galleries, academies, project spaces and artists working with the medium of photography. The aim is not only to highlight the creative character of Amsterdam, but also to stimulate enthusiasm for, and interest in, the world of contemporary photography. Amsterdam Unseen Festival will include commissioned projects in remarkable locations, exhibitions by young talents across the city’s neighbourhoods, access to private and corporate collections and various events organised by established institutions in collaboration with Unseen. Amsterdam Unseen Festival will take place from the 18th to the 27th of September.

At the heart of the festival is Unseen Photo Fair, which will take place at the Westergasfabriek from the 18th to the 20th of September. The Unseen Collection with works on sale for under €1.000, the Unseen Book Market, as well as the Unseen Living Room with presentations, lectures and debates will remain on-site.