LONDON.- Unseen announced that Marina Paulenka, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Organ Vida International Photography Festival (Zagreb, Croatia), has been appointed as its new Artistic Director. Paulenka will take over from Emilia van Lynden (who will become a member of the International Advisory Committee) and will continue to build on Unseen’s achievements over the past eight years, helping to reinforce its status as a pioneer in the photography world. Specifically, Paulenka will oversee all artistic activities around: Unseen Amsterdam; Unseen Platform; Unseen Foundation; Unseen’s not-for-profit organisation; and the newly bi-annual Unseen Magazine. Paulenka will also develop new projects that shed light on societal changes and push the boundaries of the photographic medium.

Marina Paulenka brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise, through both her professional and personal achievements, highlighting her dedication to bringing photography to a wider audience and evolving the medium. As a response to the growing interest of the professional community, Paulenka founded the Photographic Association Organ Vida in 2009, with the intention of organising events dedicated to photography, exhibitions, and gatherings for artists. This eventually culminated in the Organ Vida International Photography Festival, where Paulenka was Artistic Director for ten years, helping it grow from a locally oriented happening, to a highly regarded global photography event. Paulenka’s contribution to this role resulted in her receiving the Lucie Award for best Curator/Exhibition of the year in 2019. Paulenka, as an artist herself knows the medium inside out and holds an MA in Photography from the University of Zagreb and has taught at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb, as well as having served as a jury member, nominator and portfolio reviewer on numerous projects.

Marina Paulenka has said: “I believe photography has the power to connect and boost international cultural exchange, communication and cooperation. It has the ability to change the way people look at the world and the problems of our contemporary society, to shatter stereotypes, to bring to the foreground untold and marginalized stories, and to inspire us to observe reality more critically. I will channel my great passion for photography into my new position as Artistic Director at Unseen in contributing to the organisation’s continued growth, evolution, and further recognition.”

Alongside the announcement of the new Artistic Director, the launch of the sixth issue of Unseen Magazine marks the beginning of its bi-annual production. Adding a second issue to its annual editorial calendar allows for a greater opportunity to explore and support new photographic talent as well as providing a larger platform to more artists. The launch of the latest issue will coincide with a series of dialogues that will focus on urban change and the phenomenon of gentrification at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This event encompasses Unseen’s wider philosophy, which aims to highlight the impact of artists on society and to celebrate socially engaged practice.