Preus Museum Open Call

Everyone can submit! We're looking forward to receiving applications from all genders, ages, nationalities, amateurs and professionals!

Submit your best photographs that expresses the theme. We look for strong projects with a visual quality. You can upload single images or a project.

We have no submission fee!

It's in our DNA!

How can democracy, nature and AI tell us something about evolution, diversity and manipulation?

How can this be expressed through photography?

DNA is the blueprint for how organisms look and function, and it is transferred from generation to generation. Changes in DNA are called mutations, and these changes have various consequences. Some mutations can lead to diseases, while others can provide advantageous traits and contribute to evolution. Modern technology has made it possible to manipulate DNA by altering the genetic material, which presents enormous opportunities but also raises significant ethical concerns since we cannot control the consequences. 

Democracy, nature, and artificial intelligence (AI) are also complex systems based on evolution. DNA itself is an example of how nature can be considered a complex and well-functioning "machine," and nature is full of complex systems that are constantly evolving. Democracy is built on the idea that everyone should have a voice in decisions that affect them. This requires organization and collaboration, and it is essential that the system is adaptable to survive. AI is based on the idea of mimicking human intelligence using computers. AI systems can learn and adapt over time, and they must constantly be adjusted and developed to meet new challenges and opportunities. 

The key to variation and development in these systems is diversity. In the process of evolution, diversity is the foundation of natural selection, while in nature, a diversity of species is crucial to maintain balance and stability in ecosystems. In democracy, it is important to ensure that decisions reflect the diversity of interests and perspectives that exist in society, while AI algorithms learn from large datasets and use that knowledge to perform tasks better. 

Genetic modification is one of the many ways we humans manipulate nature. It is also possible to manipulate the democratic system, for example, through fake news and disinformation that influence political debates and, ultimately, also elections. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) can also be manipulated, for example, by teaching computers to discriminate or make unjustified decisions, something that can have unforeseen consequences. 

How can this theme be expressed using photography? For example, by focusing on diversity, can you say something about how the society we live in is made up? Can you perhaps use manipulation to convey something about our relationship with nature? Can you say something about development with the help of artificial intelligence? 

We hereby challenge photographers, amateurs and artists of all ages to contribute to the Preus Museum Open Call. You are welcome to problematize the photograph in the material you submit. We and we would like a short project description of a maximum of 2,000 characters that explains how you have approached the topic. We also want to know if you have used AI for text or images but will not discriminate against your contribution on the basis of this.  

*The text for this open call has been written and translated from Norwegian to English in collaboration with the free version of Chat GPT