2025 02 05 – 03 16
Exhibited at Photography Gallery (Vasario 16-osios str. 11, Panevėžys)
The exhibition of the finalists of the twenty-third Lithuanian Press Photography competition. A distinguished international jury has carefully evaluated over 3,000 entries submitted in 10 professional categories. The jury members include professional photographers Damian Chrobak (Poland), Svetlana Batura (Lithuania), Eero Vabamägi (Estonia), Renaldas Malychas (Lithuania), and poet, editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Metai, Antanas Šimkus. This year, the ten professional competition categories have been supplemented by a new category – the Open Category, designed for photography students and enthusiasts. This new addition also attracted significant interest, with nearly 40 emerging photographers from across Lithuania submitting their works. Exhibited alongside professional photographs, the Open Category fosters a dynamic dialogue that reveals the diverse landscape of visual journalism in Lithuania.
A photographic image can and should be interpreted, evaluated from a time perspective. However, it is equally important to recognize its relevance in the present moment. The exhibition’s works demonstrate that 2023 was a year full of significant and engaging events for photographers working in the media. The images capture both the intricacies of local political affairs and Lithuania’s commitment to hosting the NATO Summit—not only the official aspects of political meetings but also the meticulous preparation required for the event. Meanwhile, other categories allow us to delve deeper into important cultural and sporting events. In the Portrait category, photographers explore psychology and humanity, capturing, among others, a powerful portrait of a soldier on the Ukrainian frontline, a joyful farming family, and an actor who has just completed a role demanding immense tension and energy. The Army category presents the theme of national security through various details—images showcase the role played by different national and European armed forces in maintaining stability in our region. In the Nature and its Protection category, we witness the impact we have on our environment and the way it, in turn, affects us.
This competition and its culminating exhibition provide an opportunity for press photographers and photojournalists working in Lithuania to reflect on their work over the past year, evaluate their achievements, and present their best images to the public. The competition also seeks to encourage photographers’ creativity, sense of community, and willingness to learn from one another. However, year after year, we see that this exhibition attracts not only photography enthusiasts but also a broad audience. This clearly demonstrates that press photography remains relevant and essential to society—it is a powerful tool that enables us to take a closer look at the world around us, capturing significant events, emotions, and everyday moments of life. As we present the twenty-third edition of this exhibition, we believe that through photography, we contribute to the authentic documentation of Lithuania’s history.
