Polaroid and Magnum are proud to reveal the work of 10 emerging artists selected through their joint Open Call. The first-ever partnership between two iconic photography brands set out to discover the next wave of visual storytellers. “Real Life is Not Black and White”.

‍

The Open Call headlined by Magnum photographers Enri Canaj, Jim Goldberg, and Newsha Tavakolian drew an astonishing 2101 submissions from a diverse pool of talent from over 100 countries. The 10 winners were selected for their ability to tell empathy-evoking stories and received mentorship from the Magnum photographers - and the Polaroid I-2 camera to capture the next chapter of their stories.

“We are thrilled with the response to the Magnum and Polaroid Open Call and the creative ingenuity shown in the winners' final works. For many participants, it was their first time shooting with Polaroid film, and it was inspiring to see how this medium shaped their art, adding authenticity and immediacy to their storytelling,” said Marine Merindol, COO of Magnum Photos.

At the heart of the winners' work is an exploration of the human experience, as artists reflect on both their own lives and the world around them. The work covers a broad range of themes from migration to gender roles, and from expressing one's own identity to reflecting on the poignant reality of living with a disease, or far away from the family.  

The final selection - entitled “Real Life is Not Black and White” - emphasizes the role of instant photography as a powerful medium for storytelling and personal expression. It celebrates the creative properties of the black-and-white film, and the new levels of mastery made possible by the Polaroid I-2 – the first high-end instant camera with built-in manual controls.

The partnership between Polaroid and Magnum Photos is the latest chapter in the “Imperfectionism” movement, which champions the idea that real experiences, mistakes and authenticity are more valuable than polished perfection. The work of Magnum and Polaroid Open Call winners was on display along with the work of their Magnum Photo mentors from November 7-10 at the Paris Photo Fair at the Grand Palais (booth P06) and as a digital exhibition on polaroid.com.

The competition winners’ empathy-building, perspective-changing stories emphasize the role of instant photography as a powerful medium for creative expression and building human connection.  

With guidance from Magnum Photographers - Enri Canaj, Jim Goldberg, and Newsha Tavakolian, the artists explore a broad range of themes from migration to gender roles, and from expressing one's own identity to reflecting on the poignant reality of living with a disease, or far away from family. All work was created using the new Polaroid black-and-white film and the I-2 camera, a high-end instant camera with Polaroid's sharpest lens and built-in manual controls. Artists: Jakub Stanek, Jaír Fernando Coll, Maria Beatriz de Vilhena, Mengwen Cao, D. M. Terblanche, Mohamed Hassan, Stefan Pavic, Aleruchi Kinika, Natela Grigalashvil, Jed Bacason.

‍

Jakub Stanek (Poland)
Jakub Stanek documented his everyday life with his son, questioning the traditional perceptions of masculinity andperception of fathers as secondary parents. “This is the story of my strugglefor love and my attempts to rebuild parenthood on new, fairer grounds.”  
‍

‍

Jaír Fernando Coll (Colombia)

‍JaírFernando Coll follows the journey of Samara who lives with Zika-related microcephaly in Cali, Colombia.  He’s been documenting Samara’s story for seven years. For the latest chapter of his project Jaír produced black and white Polaroid photographs, in which the family intervened with drawings and scratchings to illustrate how they bring color to Samara's life.
‍

‍

Maria Beatriz de Vilhena (Portugal)
Maria Beatriz de Vilhena returned tothe place of their origins near the Portuguese-Spanish border, searching fortraces of her family history in a common geography and the characteristics ofthis ancient territory. “This is a project about identity, memory and thegeography in between.”

‍

‍

Mengwen Cao (China/USA)

‍As Mengwen Cao prepares to leave New York temporarily for the next chapter of their life, they wanted to create a ritual that honors the people and places that have shaped them. “IDareU2Feel Radio" is a series of collaborative portraits embroidered with affirmations from their friends, creating a heartfelt farewell that carries both grief and love; a testament to the connections they’ve built.
‍

‍

Mohamed Hassan (Egypt/UK)

'Witnessing Wales' is a long-term study of community and nationhood, created through a series of journeys across the country. Mohamed Hassan’s work contains both landscapes and portraits and is an allegorical tale for finding a sense of belonging within the story of Wales today.
‍

‍

Stefan Pavic (Kosovo)

Stefan Pavic documents the everyday life of Kosovo Serbs and Albanians, reflecting on the changes in the country since the 1999 conflict and highlighting stories of enduring strength and unity among its people living in the hope of peaceful future.
‍

‍

Aleruchi Kinika (Nigeria)

Aleruchi Kinika’s project explores the complexities of womanhood, showing women in their element as mothers, friends and beings. A series of melancholic portraits where clothing, movement and background are intentional to express the kindness and joy, worry and pain of womanhood.
‍

Natela Grigalashvil (Georgia)

In the industrial town of Chiatura, Natela Grigalashvil documents the lives of miners and residents, focusing on a community shaped by economic decline, social challenges, and environmental degradation. Through these photographs Grigalashvil depicts the realities of those who continue to live and work in this difficult environment, offering a direct portrayal of a town grappling with its industrial past.
‍

‍

D. M. Terblanche (South Africa/Germany)

Drawing on their own experience, D. M. Terblanche explores the internal world of living with late-diagnosed autism.  Set in the context of a new country, away from the familiarity of the global south, Terblanche worked with self-portraiture, reflecting on having once written “autism is a loneliness for which I now have a name, after years of living in mistranslation”.
‍

Jed Bacason (Philippines/UAE)

Jed Bacason embraces the materiality of Polaroid photography in his “Love Mum” project, inspired by his own childhood experiences receiving his father’s letters from abroad. Now an overseas worker himself, Bacason asked five Filipino mothers in Dubai to write heartfelt letters to their children then captured their emotions in black-and-white Polaroid portraits. Bacason then sent these letters and photos to the women’s children as a tangible reminder of their mothers' love across the distance.
‍

‍

‍

‍