SARKA VANCUROVA
photo reporter,
documentary and portrait photographer
Bio
Sarka Vancurova is photo reporter, picture editor and portrait photographer whose work focuses on the socially engaged concepts that fight the social injustice and shed the light on people living on the margins of society in different parts the world.
She is currently working on visual environmental and women issues stories from India, and teaching disadvantaged children "photography and visual storytelling" in North Canada, Quebec.
Living in USA and working between INDIA, MEXICO, CANADA and LEBANON.
On this website just a few examples of my work...
With my photography I defend people, especially women, who has no voice.
I am always looking for images that have a sense of an emotion that touches. My personal projects are about women and children who tries to survive and withstand harsh living circumstances, violence, fighting against the power of the political and social system that oppress them. It is an activist art that search for the visual strategies of how to draw an awareness of the ones who has very little power to
stand up against the system. I try to make pictures that are open, complex, and that lead to further dialogue
and awareness.
Education :
2015- 2016 Master Photography, St. Joost Art Academy /Breda, The Netherlands, film studies
2006- 2010 Bachelor of design (Bdes documentary photography) at Art Academy of Visual Arts /
Hoge school voor de Kunsten, Utrecht, mention of honour, The Netherlands
Trainings :
2020-2021 former member of the photo studio Hans Lucas in Paris.
2020-2021 Visual storytelling workshop by Sebastian Liste, photographer of agency Noor images
2015-2016 Mentoring traject by Dutch portrait photographer, Koos Breukel
2016 photojournalist by Trouw, daily newspaper in NL
2009 photojournalist by Het Algemeen Dagblad/daily newspaper NL
Recent photojournalistic work:
published in the independent media : Pivot.quebec.ca, Pieuvre.ca, LaPresse.ca
CielVariable.ca
Expositions Solo :
2012 Gypsies of Sant Cugát, library of Sant Cugát del Vallés ,Barcelona
2011 project Wilma, Complex Hartloper, Utrecht
2011 ADM –portraits Amsterdamse dok maatchappij, library Slotervaart 2010 HKU expo, Hoge school van den Kunsten, Utrecht
2008 Portraits from the squatting movement at Theatre Kikker Utrecht,
2007 Portraits from the squatting movement, Mini galerie, Gruttersdijk 28,Utrecht
2005 Never in one place, About company Timecircus, Belgium Brugge 2002
2003 Rosas danst, pictures of the performance, Concertgebouw Brugge, Belgium 2002 Wijk up, Zeebrugge, St.Pieters and St.Jozef, Brugge 2002, Belgium
2002 The Emigrants, portraits of refugees, Brugge, Belgium
Expositions Group :
2017 Médecines Sans Frontières,Then and Now (Unfolding the story of MSF in Lebanon), Beirut
2017 Lauswolt galerry, Olterterp, Self-portraits series
2017 Peep Show, Self-portrait, Non-profit Art works / Schiedam, Netherlands
2017 Rotterdam Photo festival, serie portretten with the theme Identity 2016 Scene from the marriage,
adaptation of J.Bergmann, short video fragment
projected in EYE film museum Amsterdam, as a presentation of the Masters St.Joost Art Academy
2016 Playing with reality project , at St.Joost,Breda/ Masters photography,
video and photo installation.
2016 Projects and prospects- Art Rotterdam ( Mondriaan fonds, Children of the revolution)
2015 City exposition Kracht van Rotterdam, Rotterdam
2015 12 photographers -12 streets - 12 provincies Mariabastion straat Maastricht 2014
Various artists –Various work ,Open Ateliers Gustoweg
2013 Inside Outside ,1000 Photos Amsterdam
2013 NDSM tussen 2007-2011, Het Plekk, NDSM terrain
2012 Body fragments, Institut d’Éstudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya in Barcelona 2012 Self-portraits,
Uit de back festival, Castricum
2012 project Wilma, International center of photography La Rambla de Raval,Barcelona
2012 Self-portraits, Centre de civic Drassanes
2011 project Bare, Café Het Hart, Utrecht
2010 Het groeien van de klein berk, graduation exam 2010, Faculty for Contemporary art and design,
HKU Utrecht 2003 Bordello, Kunst in de Rosse buurt, Antwerpen
Booklets :
2017 Portret of Wilma / Hague Street news
2016 booklet Children of the revolution documentary project 2016, Prospects &Concepts,
Mondrian's fund shows talent
2012 Piel de foto, gypsies of Sant Cugát del Vallés
2011 Dj ́s and vinyl collectors
2011 ADM book ( Amsterdam Dok society), Utopian place of the squatting scene in Amsterdam
2010 book about Wilma, bachelo project
2006-2011 photo's and artikels in Ravage magazine
2009 photographic journalistic work in AD Algemene dagblad / Rotterdam, daily news
Stipendium and Grants :
2023 Grant for the realization of the reportage - Federation of the professional journalists in Canada
2015-2016 Mentoring grant for emerging artists
2014- 2015 Startstipendium, Work budget Young Talent, Mondrian's fund, The Netherlands.
2002- 2003 Work budget, European Commission Young talent, Brugge, Belgium.
Trainings :
2020-2021 former member of the photo studio Hans Lucas in Paris.
2020-2021 Visual storytelling workshop by Sebastian Liste, photographer of agency Noor images
2015-2016 Mentoring traject by Dutch portrait photographer, Koos Breukel
2016 photojournalist by Trouw, daily newspaper in NL
2009 photojournalist by Het Algemeen Dagblad/daily newspaper NL
Commissions:
Seechange initiative Inuits, Canada
La Presse - french newspaper, Pivot Quebec- independent media in Quebec.
Women association-Coalition montréalaise de la marche mondiale des femmes,Montréal
Solidarité sans frontières, Montréal, Collectif femmes du Québec.
Paradox documentary organisation NL,
15-38 mediterranee.com , Le Croix, Ravage magazine
Médecines Sans Frontières( Jordan and Lebanon), L'Orient le Jour
Refugee work ( Vluchtelingen werk) Netherlands , Triumphant Mercy- Lebanon.
Alzheimer magazine Netherlands, University of Amsterdam
Portrait Studio Sarka Vancurova (sinds 2014- ) particular clients
Kracht van Rotterdam, Spectrum (student organisation of University of Amsterdam)
Fotodok Utrecht NL, Advertising company Het Heart
Circe films production, D'Buster company,
non-profit organization Trammeland Amsterdam,
Film productions Amsterdam- set photography, Nijenhuis and co, BV film productions,
Du Photo Photoweek Amsterdam, Algemeen dagblad Rotterdam ,Time circus Antwerp
Antwerp Concertgebouw Brugge , ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event)
