Artist Blog

Every week an artist whose single image was published by Der Greif is given a platform in which to blog about contemporary photography.

Discussing images that have had a real impact on the issues they addressed, it's impossible not to mention photographic campaigns made for or in collaboration with various non-governmental organisations. Created to inspire changes, they usually convey a clear call for action that often leads to tangible results.

I can't quite make up my mind as to how I feel about the campaigns of this kind though: I acknowledge their impact, yet am not entirely comfortable with the weird blend of photojournalism and advertising that simplifies problems, promotes stereotypes, creates a sense of guilt, powerlessness and anxiety and priorities immediate results to long-term sustainability. A bit like this.

Regardless of the stand you take (I will stay somewhere in the middle and see how it plays out), one can't deny there are many incredibly creative and intelligent NGO campaigns, looking for new ways to catch our attention, raise awareness, educate, inspire and make our world a better place.

I listed few of my favourite examples above and encourage everyone to contribute to the discussion. While researching for this article, I remembered a short video campaign I've seen few years ago. It made me smile and cry at the same time by being playful in addressing a very serious issue of child mortality in Africa. Enjoy: