Following the success of last year’s Welcome to my Unknown Award, MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas is pleased to launch a new call for artists, especially conceived for the fair by Erik Kessels. The Dutch artist is a prominent figure in the international photography scene, working as an artist, curator, publisher, and expert in visual communication, with a deep interest in art and photography.

  
Through this award, Kessels aims to engage contemporary artists of all ages who use photography as an artistic language.

  
**The winning artists will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the 14th edition of MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas, scheduled from March 20 to 23, 2025, at Superstudio Più, via Tortona 27, Milan.**

  
**CONCEPT**

“Photography as a medium and as art is in a phase of transformation, with infinite access and possibilities. Like a fluid substance, it interacts with other art forms—performance, sculpture, installation, and projection—taking on endless shapes. By becoming a three-dimensional material object, the old ways of photographing and displaying photographs on walls are cast aside, making way for new linguistic experiments. Freed from the frames that bind them to walls, photographs now inhabit a new space beyond the wall. The OFF-THE-WALL Award will focus on the unconventional, on stories, non-traditional executions, and new modes of photographic expression.” — _Erik Kessels_

MIA Photo Fair is also pleased to announce that the winning Artists selected for the Exhibition will have the opportunity to be selected for the two additional Awards organized by the following Partners of the Award:

  
1. **Publication of the portfolio in the magazine Gente di Fotografia**, which will be published in conjunction with the fourteenth edition of MIA Photo The artist will be chosen by Franco Carlisi, director of the magazine, among the artists selected by Erik Kessels.
2. **Participation in a residency period at the Forci Art Foundation in Lucca.** The winning artist will be selected by curators Melanie van Ogtrop and Nina van Ogtrop. The duration of the stay will be arranged directly with the Organizers.

Off-The-Wall Award 2025

Focusing on the theme of food in contemporary photography, with particular attention to food waste, the IRINOX SAVE THE FOOD award, curated by Claudio Composti, now reaches its fourth edition.

  
The award will offer up to 15 finalist artists the opportunity to exhibit their work at the 14th edition of MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas, which will take place from March 20-23, 2025, at Superstudio Più, via Tortona 27, Milan.In addition, one of the showcased works will be selected to join the IRINOX corporate collection through the IRINOX PURCHASE AWARD, with a value of €5,000 gross, enriching Irinox’s dedication to photography. The winner will be chosen by a jury from the works on display during the fair.

  
**CONCEPT**

Cooking goes beyond a simple mechanical process; it is a reflection of our identity and origins. Some recipes arise from the art of recovery, recycling, and minimizing waste, integrating new, eco-friendly production methods. Central to this theme is an urgent recognition of biodiversity and sustainability, values that must guide our food choices and production processes. Italian cuisine, with its unique experiences and diverse ways of preparing the same dish, represents an unmatched mosaic. This “singular plural” concept is echoed in the works of international artists, who are invited to interpret this theme with its rich meanings and nuances, championing this vision.

  
Eating together represents more than just a meal; it embodies tradition, sharing, hospitality, and a sense of the sacred. It is a ritual that, through mindful choices to avoid waste, can inspire a revolution toward comprehensive sustainability in our social, food, and environmental habits.

Up to 15 finalists will be selected by the curator Claudio Composti and the Award’s jury

  
**MAIN AWARD**: Exhibition at MIA Photo Fair 2025 and Acquisition Award IRINOX COLLECTION

  
**ADDITIONAL AWARD FOR ONE OF WINNERS**: Yeast Award: participation in the fourth Yeast Photo Festival (Matino, Lecce)

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