Five photographic positions between memory, loss, and imagination

Since 2018, the Triennale der Photographie Hamburg, together with the Haus der Photographie, has annually nominated five artists to become part of the European photography network FUTURES. We are very excited to present the new FUTURES artists for 2026: Amelie Sachs, Anna Perepechai, Aslı Özdemir, Kang Kaiwen, and Vanessa Amoah Opoku.

Their works interweave personal, political, and global narratives of loss, memory, and (re)appropriation. Moving between photography, film, installation, and mixed media, they explore the boundaries of the medium – understanding it not merely as an instrument of observation, but as a space for memory, critical reflection, and imagination.

With what happened and never happened (realized together with photographer Paulina Metzscher in close collaboration with author and filmmaker Eva Gemmer), Amelie Sachs sheds light on forced adoptions in the GDR through documentary photography, archival material, and text. Anna Perepechai reflects on migration and experiences of war in Ukraine through documentary observation and experimental forms. Aslı Özdemir creates playful installations that intertwine artistic and familial references with performativity. Kang Kaiwen experiments with moving image and posthuman myths from East and West to explore ecological relationships. Vanessa Amoah Opoku creates a material yet organic atmosphere through mixed media, making visible personal, cultural, and political narratives.

You can find the jury statements and selected projects here.