Event History
Gomma has come a long way since the first Gomma Magazine came out in 2004. Throughout the years, Gomma has been actively promoting photographers and their work, both established and emerging. Gomma worked with internationally renowned artists, such as Roger Ballen, Anders Petersen, Michael Ackerman, Keizo Kitajima, and Daido Moriyama. In 2010 they published the sought-after MONO Volume One and Two, and in 2012 they run a photographic training program called Radical Matter. The Gomma Grant started off in 2014 and every year it invites a fine selection of jurors, made of well-known editors, curators and writers, such as: Diane Smyth (BJP), Caroline Hunter (Guardian), Brigitte Schaller (Leica FI), Enrico Stefanelli (PhotoLux Festival), and Yumi Goto, (Reminders Project).
What Makes this event different?
ETHICAL: Gomma Grant reward the work, not the name, and not the curriculum vitae. The grant gets awarded to photographers regardless of their past success or network. And look at the works with fresh minds and eyes freed from any dogma or modus operandi. LONGSTANDING: Gomma started in 2004 from a south London basement apartment. They are now established after nearly 20 years, but they still are young in approach, because they don’t want their many years of experience to steal the freshness and their beginners’ minds. HAVE MAGIC: There is something magical and awkward and stylish at the same time about Gomma. They are pretty unique with a constant out-of-the-box attitude. They don’t believe the hype and don’t follow any trends. LOVE SIMPLICITY: Gomma don’t like articulated slogans and sophisticated vocabulary. They believe that the arts should be for everyone. NOT MONEY-DRIVEN: Gomma is run by a few artists that have their own means of economic nourishment from other jobs. SUPPORTIVE: Gomma do not just award cash prizes because they also push both the winning and shortlisted works. Photographers that are recognized through the Gomma Grant are known to have grown their career to a higher level, both professionally and artistically.
