Organizer Information
The Decagon Gallery is an international contemporary photography platform dedicated to promoting emerging and established photographers through curated online exhibitions. Operating primarily as a digital-first exhibition space, the gallery focuses on expanding access to global audiences by presenting juried photographic shows that emphasize conceptual depth, technical excellence, and curatorial rigor.
For the “Seen / Unseen” open call, Decagon Gallery collaborates with renowned curator Ann M. Jastrab, Executive Director of the Center for Photographic Art (CPA), United States. Jastrab brings extensive curatorial and institutional experience in photographic education, exhibition programming, and artist support systems. Her involvement reinforces the program’s emphasis on both artistic quality and critical engagement within contemporary photographic discourse.
Title & Description
Decagon Gallery: Seen/Unseen Photography Competition & Exhibition
The “Seen / Unseen” exhibition is an international juried Photography open call exploring the conceptual and visual tension between visibility and absence. Hosted by the Decagon Gallery, this online exhibition invites photographers worldwide to submit works that engage with what is revealed within an image—and what remains intentionally hidden, implied, or unresolved.
The theme encourages artists to approach photography not as a purely representational medium, but as a space of ambiguity and interpretation. Submissions may include portraiture, documentary imagery, constructed scenes, or experimental visual approaches. The central curatorial interest lies in works that embody contradiction and layered meaning, rather than literal interpretation.
Artists are invited to explore photographic language through themes such as presence and absence, exposure and concealment, clarity and ambiguity. Selected works will be presented in a curated online exhibition, offering international visibility through the gallery’s digital platform.
This opportunity emphasizes conceptual depth within contemporary Visual Arts, particularly photography that resists straightforward narration and instead invites interpretive engagement from viewers.
Categories
- Photography
- Visual Arts
- Digital
- Mixed Media
- Art Writing (conceptual/critical photographic practice)
Eligibility
- Open to international applicants
- Applicants must be 18 years or older
- All photographic styles and approaches accepted
- Both emerging and professional photographers may apply
- No thematic or technical restrictions beyond the curatorial concept
- Individual artists only (no collective limitation specified)
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected participants will receive:
- Inclusion in a curated online Exhibition
- $1,000 total cash awards distributed as:
- First Place: $500 + solo online exhibition
- Second Place: $300
- Third Place: $200
- Individual presentation of selected works with full credit
- Inclusion in the permanent online archive of Decagon Gallery
- Promotion via newsletter and social media channels
- Potential Juror Selection recognition for additional works
- Discount on future open call submissions
This program offers both financial recognition and significant digital exposure within an international photographic context.
Application Fee
- $25 for up to 8 images
- Additional submission guidelines apply for future discounted opportunities
Application Requirements
- Up to 8 photographic images (JPG or JPEG format)
- Minimum image size: 2100 pixels on the long side
- No watermarks or borders allowed
- Completed online submission form (implied via platform)
- Agreement to exhibition terms upon submission
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Submission Deadline: 8 July 2026
- Selection Announcement: July 21, 2026
- Exhibition Launch: 27 July 2026
- Exhibition Duration: July 27 – September 27, 2026
Location
Online
Additional Details
- All submitted artists retain full copyright of their work
- Decagon Gallery reserves the right to use selected images for promotional purposes with credit
- Submission implies agreement with all terms and conditions
- Approximately 60 works will be selected for exhibition
- Selection is highly competitive and curated under juror review
- Preference is given to conceptually strong work engaging with ambiguity and narrative tension
- The exhibition emphasizes photographic works that “hold something back,” rather than fully explain themselves