Project Groundswell

Climate protection is the central concern of Project Groundswell. FOTOHOF has joined forces with Photo Museum Ireland, Cortona on the Move, and Imago Lisboa and invited artists to address the global challenge of climate change through an open call. Supported by Creative Europe, the project uses the expressive power of film and photography to present possible solutions to climate protection issues.
The jury selected four projects: Gonçalo Fonseca’s “A Burning Landscape” seeks to contribute to ending the devastating forest fires in Portugal. His photographs document the destruction of the Portuguese forest landscape and show efforts to prevent fires and accelerate reforestation. 
“The Ocean Within” by Yvette Monahan is an examination of the marine ecosystem—how fish bodies function as an archive of the oceans and what would happen if this living archive were to disappear.
Ingmar Björn Nolting’s series “Eviction” shows the occupation of the village of Lützerath, which was demolished in 2023 for lignite mining. He sees a solution in a resistant and solidarity-based way of life that defies powerful corporations and state repression.
In “Bone Foam,” Maria Oliveira explores the mysticism of a life close to nature and photographs the way of life of people in remote regions of Portugal. She is committed to preserving places where a life far removed from capitalist production logic seems possible.
Further projects by the twelve finalists can be seen in a film installation: Oliver Ressler, Nora Schwarz, Marco Buratti, Camilla Marrese & Gabriele Chiappiarini, Matjaz Krivic, Sean Charlton White, Chloe Azzopardi, and Adam Sebire present artistic visions for climate protection. The exhibition will subsequently be shown in Dublin, Cortona, and Lisbon.