Biography
Alejandro Chaskielberg (Buenos Aires, 1977) is an independent photographer, videographer and teacher who has established a worldwide reputation for his innovative vision and sensibility that crosses the boundaries between document and art. Chaskielberg graduated from the National Institute of Cinematography of Argentina as Director of photography. He performed advanced studies in classical music at the Manuel de Falla Conservatory (violin) and animation at the National Art Film Institute of Avellaneda.
Alejandro was named World Photographer of the Year 2011 by the World Photography Organization in London. He also received the BURN Emerging Photographer Grant by the Magnum Foundation in 2009 and the Leopold Godowsky Jr. Award by The Boston University, which recognises excellence in the field of contemporary color photography. He was also granted by National Geographic Society with the All Roads Photography Program and won the Fifth RM Iberoamerican Photobook Competition.
His working method is the slow documentary. He has lived in the islands of the Paraná River Delta during three years, far away from the city and inside the community of islanders, in order to his first book La Creciente. For his second book project, Otsuchi Future Memories, he traveled seven times to a rural fishing town in northern Japan, where he conducted workshops to locals who were affected by the tsunami and also organized the first big photo exhibition in the recovering city, in collaboration with the town Government. For this third book Laberinto, he lived during four months in Patagonia. He also developed projects in Bolivia, Surinam, Netherlands, Cuba, Italy and Kenya.
His work was presented at the Brighton Biennial curated by Martin Parr in 2009 and at the Daegu Photo Biennial in South Korea 2014 and the Ballarat International Photography Biennial in Australia 2015 and has also exhibited in many photographic festivals worldwide. He has been one of the Masters of the First Latin American Masterclass organised by the World Press Photo and Master at the ISSP - International Summer School of Photography in Latvia.
Chaskielberg is currently creating video installations and murals for theater and opera, and also working as cinematographer. Recently he gave his first TED talk at the prestigious Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.
Education
2002-2005 Manuel de Falla Classical Music Conservatory, instrument violin
1998-2000 ENERC - Instituto Nacional de Cinematografía, Director of Photography
Grants, Awards & Recognitions
2018 Beca Formadores grant, Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Argentina
2017 finalist of the Premio Braque award invited by the France Embassy of Argentina
2016 juror’s pick, Magnum Photography Awards, selected by Martin Parr
2015 selected between the Nine Argentinian Photographers to Watch, Time magazine
2014 winner of the Iberoamerican Photobook Award, RM editions
2011 Photographer of the Year selected by the World Photography Organization.
2011 winner of the Documentary - People category of the World Photography Awards, UK
2011 Best Latin American Portrait, POYI awards.
2010 shortlisted for the BMW-Paris Photo Prize, Francia
2010 finalist of the Premio Federico Klemm a las Artes Visuales award, Argentina
2009 winner of the BURN Emerging Photographer grant, Magnum Foundation
2009 winner of the Leopold Godowsky Jr. award, Photographic Resource Center of the Boston University
2009 selected as on of the 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch, PDN magazine, USA
2009 winner of the Cultura del Agua award, Secretaría de Cultura de la Nación, Argentina
2009 winner of the Fotocáceres Opticas Iberoamericanas award
2008 All Roads Photography Program grant, National Geographic Society, USA.
2008 second prize, 50 Anniversary, Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Argentina
2008 selected for the Latin American Art auction, MoLAA Museum of Latin American Art
2008 selected as Top 50 Critical Mass, Photo Lucida, USA
2008 finalist of the Premio Platt 08, Argentina
2006 winner of the Curriculum Cero award, Ruth Benzacar Gallery, Buenos Aires
Solo Exhibitions
2019 Laberinto, curated by Florencia Battiti, BienalSur biennial, Palacio Ferreyra, Cordoba, Argentina
2018 Otsuchi Future Memories, Centro de Arte Conarte, Monterrey, Mexico
2018 Otsuchi Future Memories, Gachi Prieto Gallery, Buenos Aires
2016 Otsuchi Future Memories, Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Museum, Athens
2016 Otsuchi Future Memories, Otsuchi Gauken Junior School, Japan
2015 La Creciente, Ballarat International Photography Biennial, Australia
2015 Otsuchi Memorias del Futuro, Galería del Prado, CDF Montevideo, Uruguay
2015 Otsuchi Future Memories, Sony Gallery, Tokyo
2015 Otsuchi Future Memories, Tokyo International Photography Festival
2015 La Creciente, curated by Frank Kalero, Goa Photo Festival, India
2015 Otsuchi Future Memories, curated by Cortona on the Move Festival, Italy
2015 Otsuchi Memorias del Futuro, Galería Cielo Abierto del Palacio Ferreyra, Cordoba, Argentina
2012 Moon Velvet, curated by Yoshihiko Ueda, 916 Gallery, Tokyo
2012 Turkana, Oxo Gallery, London,
2012 La Creciente, curated by Ihiro Hayami, Ring Cube Gallery, Tokyo
2011 The High Tide, Yossi Milo Gallery, New York
2011 The High Tide, Michael Hoppen Gallery, London
2010 La Creciente, El ojo Salvaje festival, CC Cabildo, Asunción, Paraguay
2009 La Creciente, Museo Emilio Caraffa museum of fine arts, Córdoba
2007 La Creciente, curated by Solana Viamonte, Galería Ruth Benzacar, Buenos Aires
2006 Entre Desiertos, curated by Horacio Torres, Cruce de las Artes, Buenos Aires
Group Exhibitions
2017 Human Landscapes, curated by Andrés Labaké, Art Museum of Americas, USA
2017 Premio Braque award, Museo de los Inmigrantes, Buenos Aires
2016 Human Landscapes, Mart Center of Photography, Ekaterinburg, Rusia
2016 Otsuchi Future Memories, UN World Humanitarian Summit, Istanbul
2016 Human Landscapes, Egyptian Center for International Cultural Cooperation, El Cairo
2016 Industry re.Imagined, curated by Alasdair Foster, Shenyang Industry Museum, China
2016 Otsuchi Future Memories, Valongo International Festival, Santos, Brazil
2015 Contemporary Argentinian Photography, Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art, Rusia
2015 The Other, curated by Frank Kalero, GOA Photo Festival, India
2015 Aquí nos vemos, Fotografia en América Latina, curated by Adriana Lestido, Juan Travnik y Gabriel Diaz, Centro Cultural Kirchner, Buenos Aires
2015 Paisajes Humanos, Centro Cultural Kichner, Buenos Aires
2014 Territories and Subjectivities - Contemporary Art from Argentina, curated by Fernando Farina and Andrés Labaké, Art Museum of Americas
2014 Origins, Memories and Parodies, curated by Alejandro Castellote, Daegu Photo Biennial, Daegu, South Korea
2014 4th Lumix Festival for Young Photojournalism, Hannover, Germany
2014 Otsuchi Future Memories, The Fence / Photoville, Boston, Atlanta, Brooklyn, USA
2013 The Sweet and Sour Story of Sugar, Langgeng Art Foundation, Jogjakarta, Indonesia
2013 The Sweet and Sour Story of Sugar, Museum Mariënburg, Paramaribo, Suriname
2013 Nuevos Documentos, curated by Daniel Merle, Centro Cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires
2013 Nordic Light Festival, Kristiansund, Norway
2012 Face to Face, Statoil Art Programme, Museum of Modern Art, Baku, Azerbaijan
2012 Terra Cognita: Turkana, Noortherlicht Festival, Netherlands
2012 The Sweet and Sour Story of Sugar, Langgeng Gallery, Indonesia
2012 Beyond Words: Photography in The New Yorker, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing
2011 L´Iris D´Or winner solo show, World Photography Festival, Somerset House, London
2011 The Good, The Bad, The Ugly?, MoLAA Museum of Latin American Art, California
2011 The New Yorker Fiction/Real, Steven Kasher Gallery, New York
2011 Photography Now, curated by Elisabeth Biondi and Enrico Bossan, New York Photo Festival
2010 BMW Paris Photo Prize, Grand Palais, Paris
2010 A Night in Argentina, with Esteban Pastorino, curated by Martin Parr, Brighton Photo Biennial
2009 Leopold Godowsky Award, Photographic Resource Center of the Boston University
2009 Human Conditions, Nooderlicht Photofestival, Netherlands
2009 Scan 09 Talent Latent, Mercat Central, Tarragona, Spain
2008 All Roads Program, National Geographic Headquaters, Washington
2008 Premio Artes Visuales 50 Aniversario award, Fondo Nacional de las Artes, Buenos Aires
2008 MoLAA Awards - Contemporary Latin American Art, Museum of Latin American Art, USA
2007 Anfibios, with Lobo Velar, curated by Eugenia Rodeyro, Hermeth Gallery, Buenos Aires
2007 Alumni, La Ira de Dios Gallery, curated by Gabriel Valansi, Buenos Aires
2006 Curriculum Cero award, Galería Ruth Benzacar, Buenos Aires
Books
2017 Laberinto, published by Editorial India, Argentina
2015 Otsuchi Future Memories, published by Editorial RM, forewords by Daido Moriyama, Spain-Mexico
2011 La Creciente, published by Nazraeli Press and Martin Parr, forewords by Martin Parr, USA
Teaching (selection)
2019 Pixels Education Project created by Chaskielberg, Argentina
2016 Master of the International Summer School of Photography, Latvia
2015 Master of the First Latin American Masterclass, World Press Photo, Mexico DF
2016 Visiting teacher of the Tokyo Institute of Photography
2015 Visiting teacher of the Tokyo Institute of Photography
2014 Visiting teacher of the Tokyo Institute of Photography
2012 Visiting teacher of the Tokyo Institute of Photography
Juror Experience
2018 Premio Arte Unico Fernet Branca, Argentina, 2018
2017 Premio de Fotografía Contemporánea Mexicana, with Cristina De Middel, Gustavo Prado, Jose Antonio Rodriguez and Domingo Valdivieso Ramos, Monterrey, Mexico
2017 PH Museum Grant with Sarah Leen, Emma Bowkett and Ihiro Hayami
2017-20 Nominator for the 6x6 Global Talent Program, World Press Photo Foundation
2017-20 Nominator for the Joop Swart Masterclass
Lectures & Presentations
2018 TEDx talk, TedxRiodelaPlata, Teatro Colon, Argentina
2017 Otsuchi Future Memories, FotoIstanbul, Mimar Sinan Art University, Istanbul
2015 Otsuchi Future Memories Project, Tokyo International Photography Festival
2015 Paul Moakley in conversation with Alejandro Chaskielberg, Cortona on the Move Festival, Tuscany, Italy
2014 Alejandro Chaskielberg in conversation with Luis Weinstein, Bienal de Fotografia Documental, Tucuman
2013 Night Projects, Nordic Light Photo Festival, Kristiansund, Norway
2012 Night Projects, Noortherlicht Photogallery, Groeningen, Netherlands
2012 La Creciente, Museu da Imagem e do Som, San Pablo
2011 The High Tide project, New York Photo Festival
2011 Alejandro Chaskielberg in conversation with Marcelo Brodsky, Paraty en Foco Festival, Brazil
2011 Alejandro Chaskielberg in conversation with Elisabeth Biondi, Chelsea Art Museum, New York
2010 The High Tide Project, Brighton University, Brighton Photo Biennal, UK
2008 The High Tide Project, Adobe Systems Inc., San Francisco
2008 The High Tide Project, National Geographic Society headquarters, Washington DC