Emma Sywyj

Lives and works in London, UK

b.1986, Nottingham, UK

 

Email

emmasywyj@hotmail.com

Mobile

07809590712

Website

www.emmasywyj.com

 

Artist Statement

My artwork aims to capture and show life at it’s most vibrant & exciting. The photographs I take encourage people to see the intricacies & beauty beyond the everyday. My artwork is often centered around my immediate environment and cultural identity, I also celebrate culture in all its varied forms all over the world. I have photographed Europe & Asia capturing these countries and cultures as I experience them. My work encourages viewers to feel awe and joy in the travelers quest and the rewards that experiencing other cultures can bring whilst developing my own cultural identity through photography. My video art aims to highlight beauty and to see beyond the everyday too, and I like to showcase the magic of cinema and art itself by editing found footage from outtakes and screen tests together.

Education

The Source, Sheffield, 2023 - 2023

Equality and Diversity, Level 2

The Source, Sheffield, 2023 - 2023

Counselling Skills, Level 2

Northern College, Barnsley, 2022 - 2022

Award in Education, Level 3

The Source, Sheffield, 2022 - 2022

Information, Advice and Guidance, Level 2

Northern College, Barnsley, 2022 - 2022

Mentoring, Level 2

Northern College, Barnsley, 2022 - 2022

Mentoring, Level 1

The Source, Sheffield, 2022 - 2022

Understanding Data Protection and Data Security, Level 2

The Source, Sheffield, 2022-2022

Understanding Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace, Level 2

The Virtual College, online, 2021 - 2021

Resilience

The Source, Sheffield, 2021 - 2021

Work Skills, Level 1

WellesleyX, USA (online edX), 2019 - 2020

Italian Language and Culture: Beginner, Pass

HarvardX, Massachusetts, USA (online edX), 2020 - 2020

Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (physics), Pass

HarvardX, Massachusetts, USA (online edX), 2020 - 2020

Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (chemistry), Pass

RCAT, Rotherham, 2018 - 2019

Professional Cookery, Level 2, Merit 

Princes Trust, Rotherham, 2014 - 2014

Certificate in Exploring Enterprise, Level 2 GNVQ

MOOC, OOAC, New York (online), 2013 - 2013

Contemporary Architecture, 20 CPD Credits

RCAT, Dinnington, 2010 - 2011
French Reading, Level 2 (Intermediate), Grade 9

Camberwell College of Arts, UAL, London, 2005 - 2009

BA Honours Photography, 2:2, 2006-2009

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Merit, 2005-2006

Wickersley School and Sports College, Wickersley, 2002 - 2004

Art & Design (Fine Art) A
English Language & Literature A

Design & Technology: Product Design B

 

Solo Exhibitions

2004 Colour Travel Photography Collection, BRB, Sheffield

Group Exhibitions

2024 Upside Down, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

2023 Light and Shadow, PH21 & Valid World Hall Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

2023 Migrations and The Shifting Borders, Millepiani, Rome, Italy

2020 Tempus Film Festival, Belarus

2020 Little Rock Italian Film Festival, Arkansas, USA, (online)

2020 The Global Gallery, Ars Electronica .ART Gallery, (online)

2020 Planet Earth, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, (online)

2020 Ambitus Film Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia

2020 The New Dreams International Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA 

2020 Onirica Film Festival, Liguria, Italy

2020 FESTPRO Film Festival, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Penza & Vladimir, Russia

2019 Night, (The Glasgow Gallery of Photography), COLAB, Glasgow, Scotland

2019 Monochrome II, (The Glasgow Gallery of Photography), COLAB, Glasgow, Scotland

2019 The Game, Millepiani, Rome, Italy

2019 Landscape, (The Glasgow Gallery of Photography), COLAB, Glasgow, Scotland

2019 Glitch, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

2019 What Makes You Feel Proud?, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool

2019 International Photography Exhibition (The Glasgow Gallery of Photography pop up shop), COLAB, Glasgow, Scotland

2019 Cooltzine Vol.2 Launch, Stour Space, London

2019 Cooltzine Vol.2 Launch, Papergirl Galerija Hub, Belgrade, Serbia

2019 Cooltzine Vol.2 Launch, MOVE.BG, Sofia, Bulgaria

2019 Wish You Were Here 19 Postcard Show, A.I.R Gallery, New York City, USA

2019 International Photography Exhibition (The Glasgow Gallery of Photography pop up shop), COLAB, Glasgow, Scotland

2019 Her Story Afterparty (SeeMe), Jane Hotel, New York City, USA

2018 So Limitless and Free Film Festival, Quebec, Canada

2018 Art Takes Miami (SeeMe), SCOPE, Art Basel Miami, Miami, USA

2018 Magna Mater, Lys d'Or (online exhibition), Italy

2018 Plastic, Millepiani, Rome, Italy

2018 Tucasa, Art Muzeo, Sabor y Cultura, Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, USA

2018 The Capsule Vending (V/.) Machine, Vandal/., UK

2018 Cooltzine #1 Launch, Leyden Gallery, London

2018 Cooltzine #1 Launch, Kvaka 22, Belgrade, Serbia

2018 Cooltzine #1 Launch, be'kech, Berlin, Germany 

2018 Cooltzine #1 Launch, Cush.Bar, Sofia, Bulgaria

2018 Get it Arts - Group Exhibition, 5th Base Gallery, London

2017 Los Angeles Photography Awards, French Alliance of Pasadena, Pasadena, USA

2017 GOLDTAPPED, The Newbridge Project, Newcastle upon Tyne

2017 The (Accidental) Marks Made While Making Art, Cultivate (online exhibition), London

2017 Blowing a Gail, Old Town House, Warrington

2017 Art Auction, Holy Biscuit Gallery, Newcastle

2017 Surprise 8, Organization Earth K44, Athens, Greece

2017 Street Photography, PH21 Gallery, Budapest, Hungary

2017 Visualising The Home, The Vallum Gallery, Carlisle

2017 Colour Assembly, Pop-up shop, London

2016 The China Connection, The Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art (CFCCA), Manchester

2013 Gallery Town, Rotherham

2012 Art Takes Times Square, New York, USA

2012 Welcome Show, A.Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland

2012 Souvenir, Pump House Gallery, London

2012 MOPLA + Smashbox Studios Group Show, Los Angeles, USA

2012 Untitled, Enjoy Gallery, Leeds

2011 Midlands Open 2011, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donnington

2011 Vibe Nation, Vibe Gallery, London

2011 Artificial Light, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield

2011 Open Salon, Surface Gallery, Not Lost Festival, Nottingham

2011 Oxfordshire Artweeks, Artspool, Oxford

2011 Art Soul Kollective, Warehouse, Sheffield

2011 Social Cinema, The Residence Gallery, London

2011 Holy Ghost:The Collection, New Gallery, London

2011 Fragile City, The Stable, London

2010 Postcard Show 14, The LAB, San Francisco, USA

2010 Brixton Salon, Viewfinder Gallery, London

2010 The Parallax Error, Enjoy Gallery, Leeds

2009 Degree Show, Camberwell College of Arts, London

2008 End of year show (Camberwell College of Arts), Area 10, London

2008 Imperial Works, Imperial Works, London

2007 Two.Things.That.There.Are.Never.Enough.Of, The Sassoon Gallery, London

2006 TIT FOR TAT Collective Show, Auto Italia Gallery, London

2006 Abstract Light Work, Bessemer Gallery, Sheffield

2004 Colour Travel Photography Collection, BRB, Sheffield

 

Filmography

2024 Screen Test: Part One, UN/FAMILIAR, Art Magnitude, Stowmarket, UK

2024 Breakdowns, UN/FAMILIAR, Art Magnitude, Stowmarket, UK

2021 Screen Test: Part One, Super Short Film Festival, Online

2019 Breakdowns, "F is For" Feminism and the Female Form, Hyperflexion Contemporary Art, Eastern Cape, South Africa

2019 Screen Test: Part One, Festival Internacional de Cine de Yécora, Yécora, Mexico

2019 Breakdowns, Festival Internacional de Cine de Yécora, Yécora, Mexico

2018 Screen Test: Part One, Inshort Film Festival, Lagos, Nigeria

2018 Screen Test: Part One, Soundstripes 2, Huddersfield

2018 Screen Test: Part One, Europa Film Festival, Barcelona, Spain

2018 Screen Test: Part One, Wiz- Art Festival, Lviv, Ukraine

2018 Breakdowns, OKTO.TV, online

2018 Breakdowns, Oslo University, Oslo, Norway

2017 Screen Test: Part One, 13 Festival Transterritorial de Cine Underground,  Buenos Aires, Argentina 

2017 Breakdowns, Open Film Night, Hyde Park Picture Club, Leeds

2017 Screen Test: Part One, Artistank Launch Party, Crypt Gallery, London

2016 Breakdowns, Streaming Festival (online)

2012 The Glass Ceiling, Culture Unplugged, Humanity Explored Festival (online), India

2012 The Glass Ceiling, Festival of Nations, Lenzing, Austria

2011 The Glass Ceiling, Rome Independent Film Festival, Rome, Italy

2011 The Glass Ceiling, Un Film Per La Pace, Udine, Italy

2011 The Glass Ceiling, Mediawave Independent Film and Music Gathering, Hungary 

2011 The Glass Ceiling, Video Festival Imperia, Imperia, Italy

2011 The Glass Ceiling, Heart of England Festival, Tenbury Wells, UK

2011 The Glass Ceiling, The Residence Gallery, London

2009 The Glass Ceiling, The Camberwell College of Arts Degree Show, UAL, London 

Competitions and Awards

2021 International Panoramic Film Festival of India, Honourable Mention, Kerala, India

2020 FESTPRO Film Festival, Finalist, Moscow, Russia

2020 Paris Play Film Festival, Finalist, Paris, France

2020 The International Film Festival “Ambitus”, Finalist, St. Petersburg, Russia

2020 The International Film Festival “Ambitus”, Semi-Finalist, St. Petersburg, Russia

2019 I Filmmaker International Film Festival, Semi-Finalist, Barcelona, Spain

2019 VISUALIS Film Festival, Semi-Finalist, St.Petersburg, Russia

2019 The International Film Festival "Catharsis", Semi-Finalist, Moscow, Russia

2019 Take it East Film Festival, Finalist, New York City, USA

2019 Aphrodite Film Awards, Finalist, New York City, USA

2018 Erie International Film Festival, Best Experimental Award, Winner, USA

2018 LifeArt Festival, Finalist, Los Angeles, USA

2018 20th Hal Poetry, Prose and Photography Prize, Honorable Mention, USA

2018 Virgin Spring Cinefest, Honorable Mention, Kolkata, India

2018 The Alternative Film Festival, Semi-Finalist, Ontario, Canada

2018 Silver Needle Press, Visual Art Contest, Winner, USA

2018 Near Nazareth Festival, Photography Contest, Finalist, Nazareth, Israel

2018 The Mediterranean Film Festival (MedFF), PhotoArt Challenge, Finalist, Sicily, Italy 

2018 Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, Best Photography, Finalist, Calcutta, India

2018 Avalonia Festival, Avalonia Photography Traveler Award, Winner, Rhode Island, USA

2018 Angeles Documentaries, Best Documentary Photographer, 2nd Place, Los Angeles, USA

2018 Annual Copenhagen Film Festival, Best Photograph, Winner, Copenhagen, Denmark

2018 Los Angeles CineFest, Semi-Finalist, Los Angeles, USA

2018 Hollywood Art & Movie Awards, Best Art Photography, Finalist, Los Angeles, USA

2017 Los Angeles Photography Awards, 2nd Place, Los Angeles, USA

2017 Los Angeles CineFest, Semi-Finalist, Los Angeles, USA

2016 International Photography Awards (IPA), Family of Man : Old Age, Honorable Mention, Los Angeles, USA

2004 Channel 5 Big Art Challenge, Regional Finalist, Manchester 

 

Publications

2020 Fearsome Critters

2020 Sand HIlls

2019 Catamaran

2019 2 Bridges Review Volume 8

2019 Indestructible Energy

2019 Meat for Tea: The Valley Review

2019 Fourteen Hills

2019 Cooltzine Vol.2

2019 Mayfair and St James Life      

2019 Chelsea and Kensington Life  

2019 Notting Hill Life    

2019 Richmond & Barnes Life

2019 Hampstead and Highgate Life   

2019 St John’s Wood Life   

2019 Marylebone Life   

2019 Fulham and Putney Life   

2019 Battersea and Wandsworth Life  

2019 Wimbledon Life

2019 Chiswick and Kew 

2019 Blackheath and Dulwich life

2019 Greenwich Life

2019 House & Garden

2019 Foxhole Magazine

2018 Penny Thoughts

2018 The Finger Magazine

2018 Artist Talk Magazine

2018 Peninsula Pulse

2018 Ponder Review, USA

2018 Music and Misery, Lonely Boy Zine, UK

2018 Consumnes River Journal, USA

2018 The Las Positas Anthology 2018: Rise, USA

2018 LEVITATE Magazine, USA

2018 Cooltzine, UK

2017 Magazine 43, Taiwan

2017 A5 Magazine, UK

2017 Average Art Magazine, UK 

2017 Wotisart Magazine, UK

2017 Visualising The Home catalogue, The Vallum Gallery, Carlisle

2013 Agora Publication, London 

2010 Brixton Salon catalogue, Viewfinder Gallery, London

 

Online Publications

2021 No Tokens

2021 Pollux Journal

2020 The Aurora Review

2020 Fearsome Critters

2020 The Showbear Family Circus

2020 The Tiny Seed Literary Journal

2019 The Stirling Spoon

2019 Toho Journal

2019 Glasgow Gallery of Photography Issue 3: Night

2019 Glasgow Gallery of Photography Issue 2: Monochrome 2

2019 The Glasgow Gallery of Photography International Landscape Exhibition

2019 Inlandia: A Literary Journey

2018 Terse Journal

2018 deLuge Journal

2018 From Whispers to Roars

2018 The Brown Orient

2018 Minute Magazine

2018 Cerurove

2018 Peninsula Pulse

2018 Rigorous Journal

2018 Underexposed Magazine

2018 Public House Magazine

2018 WomenCinemakers

2018 Floorr Magazine

2018 riverSedge

2018 Women in Art 278 Magazine

2018 Nadia Gerassimenko's Blog

2018 Superstition Review

2018 FreezeRay

2018 Abstract Mag TV

2018 Moonchild Magazine

2018 NUNUM

2018 Whispers To Roars

2018 Superstition Review

2018 The Verdancies

2018 Tepid Autumn Blog

2018 Anti-Heroin Chic Journal

2018 Wise Review

2018 C41 Magazine

2017 For Example

2017 PH21 Gallery

2017 Dodho Magazine

2017 Eyescape Magazine

2017 Fields Projects Gallery

2014 Soanyway

2012 Gola Blog

2012 Trebuchet Magazine

2009 Source Magazine

 

Juries

2018 - Current Judge, Los Angeles CineFest, Los Angeles, USA

 

Selected Talks

2017 Chair for a discussion about the subject of Objet Trouvé, as part of the 'All that glitters is not gold' exhibition, Camden Arts Centre, London

 

Teaching

2012 Guest Lecturer, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield 

2010 Assistant Teacher, Macro Photography Workshop, Site Gallery, Sheffield

Volunteer Work

Camden Arts Centre, London, UK, July 2017 - September 2017

I volunteered at the Camden Arts Centre, there I invigilated art exhibitions and monitored visitor interaction and also did occasional admin work in the office franking letters and creating labels for mail outs.

Sheffield Star, Sheffield, UK, September 2011 - October 2011
Here I worked with the photography department. I was sent to photograph places, events and people to go alongside written articles. My photographs were published I was given several bylines. I also used the Atex System to log and archive all images that were taken, so that they could be searched for by other photographers and journalists at a later date.

Sheffield DocFest, UK, October – November, 2010

During my time at Sheffield Doc/Fest I was responsible for checking emails, answering the phone and responding to queries from the general public and delegates that were to attend the festival. I also created a large expansive mailing distribution list for the festival that helped in spreading the brand and content of the festival to the general public. During the actual festival I photographed Q and A’s, workshops and other events that were later used for the flickr site and also publications

RCM Gallery, Nanjing, China. October – November 2008

My experience here included photographing art works at the Nanjing Triennial for documentary purposes and publication. I also dealt with international artists and worked alongside them on publications like flyers and posters for their exhibition. I researched a lot about Chinese contemporary Art whilst in China and learnt a lot about the context of the artwork, speaking to several lecturers and emerging Chinese contemporary artists whilst I was working for the gallery.

The Cupola Gallery, Sheffield, August - September 2002

At this gallery I worked on general administration with sales, handling cash, customer service and front of house duties such as answering the phone. I also worked in the back of the gallery labelling works for sale and updating records electronically.