The Foam Talent Call of international photography magazine Foam Magazine is one of the photographic industry’s most prestigious contests for young photographers. Last year, the Foam Talent Call resulted in almost 1,600 submissions from 72 countries around the world, from which 16 were selected as 2013 Foam Talents. The 2014 Foam Talent Call opened last week, and Foam Magazine is accepting submissions until 12 March 2014.

Melinda after Hairwashing, 2005 © Peter Puklus/Robert Morat Gallery

Untitled, from the series Site, readapt 2012 © Daisuke Yokota/G/P Gallery

Last year, in addition to being published in the annual photography magazine, Foam Magazine, the works of the 16 selected Talents were showcased in various places throughout the city: The billboard exhibition on the Mercatorplein, the floating exhibition with pontoons on the water of the Keizersgracht, and a large outdoor billboard exhibition at Unseen Photo Fair 2013, where Talents were introduced to professionals in the photography industry and photography enthusiasts keen on discovering new talent.

Foam Magazine is an international photography magazine published quarterly, co-produced by Foam and branding agency Vandejong. Each year, Foam Magazine dedicates its fall issue to upcoming young photographers. A ‘young talent’ has been defined as “someone of a young age (18-35 years old) who has outstanding skills or abilities [and who may] indicate developments, trends and themes that are of importance to a new generation of artists.” Both Unseen and Foam Magazine, especially the Talent issue, embrace exciting and emerging developments in the world of contemporary photography.

Untitled, from the series Back Yard, re-adapt 2012 © Daisuke Yokota/G/P Gallery

For the past two years, the launch of the Foam Magazine Talent issue has taken place at Unseen. Last year, 10 of the 16 chosen Talents attended Unseen for a panel discussion with Marcel Feil (Deputy Artistic Director of Foam) and Jorg Colberg (Conscientious), book signings at the Pavilion and a cocktail party accompanied by music from the band, The Vagary, and DJ Snapshot (35mm Crew). Work by the Talents was exhibited in an outdoor exhibition in the surrounding Westerpark, and visitors could visit the Foam Magazine Pavilion where past issues and the latest Talent issue were for sale.

Two of the 2013 Talents, Peter Puklus and Daisuke Yokota were represented by galleries at Unseen Photo Fair 2013, Robert Morat Galerie and G/P Gallery respectively. Yokota was also selected as the first recipient of the Outset | Unseen Exhibition Fund.