Photographers:network is the result of creating a multiple win situation on many different sides.

In this project, once a year, Thomas Kellner invites personally known photographers world wide each year for a juried exhibition in his studio. Out of all submissions, a jury selects 18 (since 2010, before were 26) photos for an exhibition. 

The exhibition shows work by artists that are at the same time on a similar path like Thomas Kellner. He gives us the opportunity to see images of his colleagues, whom he meets at festivals and other events somewhere in the world. The photographs are as different as the individuals who make them. There is figurative work, architectural, abstract and experimental photography.

The end result is a collection of contemporary work and a network, where photographers can connect and help each other in building their careers. The exhibitions are acompanied by a printed booklet and a Portfolio in the German magazine PROFIFOTO and a portfolio award, cash and printed portfolio, in German magazin fotoMAGAZIN

Supporting jury members were so far:

Thomas Gerwers, Profifoto, Germany
Burkhard Arnold, in focus Galerie am Dom, Cologne/Germany,
Gerard Goodrow, director ArtCologne/Germany,
Thomas Poller, Galerie Poller, Frankfurt/Germany, NewYork/USA, 
Alison Nordstrom, George Eastman House Rochester/USA,
Dagmar Peveling, Galerie Peveling, Cologne/Germany,
Dr. Claude Wing Sui, Reichs Engelhorn Museum, Mannheim/Germany,
Michael Mazzeo peer gallery New York/USA,
Irina Tchmyreva Moscow Museum of Modern Art/Russia,
Nicole Stanner, Galerie f5.2, Munich/Germany,
Diana Edkins, Aperture Foundation, New York, USA,
Manfred Zollner, fotomagazin, Hamburg/Germany,
Beate Cegielska, Galleri Image, Aarhus, Denmark,
Johan Sjöström, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Sweden,
Lothar Albrecht, L.A. Galerie, Frankfurt/Germany,
Thomas Schirmböck, ZEPHYR, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim/Germany,
Christoph Tannert, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
Helga Oberkalkofen, Art Galerie, Siegen, Germany
Peggy Sue Amison, Sirius Arts Center, Cobh, Ireland,
Barbara Tannenbaum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, USA,
Debra Klomp Ching, Klompching Gallery New York, USA
Celina Lunsford, Fotografie Forum International, Frankfurt, Germany
Sandra Phillips, Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, USA
Ingrid Fischer Jonge, Fotomuseet, Odense, Denmark

for ten years I organised a juried groupshow in my studio.
The event became bigger and bigger, colleagues from as far as New York, Rio and Tokyo came visiting for a weekend of meetings, exchanging ideas. Of course that seemed curious to a few

Von: Wendy Watriss
Gesendet: Sonntag, 3. März 2013 20:19
An: Thomas Kellner; Marta S. Philippe
Betreff: Re: thank you and Meeting Place photographers

Thomas
..... And what does it mean to be in your photographer network?
Wendy
FotoFest Co-founder
Artistic Director

I sent the question above to all my participating colleagues. Here are a few of their answers

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Von: Kathryn Dunlevie
Gesendet: Sonntag, 10. März 2013 20:30

The creation of photographers :network is as much a credit to Thomas Kellner's generosity as it is to his inspired leadership. For the past ten years Thomas has introduced the work of invited colleagues to renowned curators from all over the world, provided an opportunity for the selected artists to meet at his studio in Germany, and maintained a directory of the works of colleagues and friends on his own professional website. In addition to creating his own brilliant photographic work, Thomas has made a huge contribution to the sense of community and the sharing of ideas in the photography community worldwide.


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Von: dan nelken
Gesendet: Montag, 11. März 2013 14:53
HI Thomas,
"What does it mean..?" It's not about getting another line for your CV, as it's about community. It's about being introduced to other photographers from other countries that under normal circumstances one would never meet and get to know, and thanks to Thomas, who is the glue as well as the magnet that makes it happen, this community offers you whatever you decide to get out of it. And for that I want to say, Thank You Thomas.

Dan


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Von: Rose-Lynn Fisher
Gesendet: Sonntag, 10. März 2013 21:01
..... And what does it mean to be in your photographers:network?

In addition to being such a talented photographer himself, I think of Thomas as a sort of pollinator - a "photollinator" - interacting with other photographers as he traverses the world, subsequently establishing this network that joins us all to each other and to him, and I feel delighted to become part of his illustrious "hive" and collection.
Rose-Lynn Fisher


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Von: marie docher
Gesendet: Sonntag, 10. März 2013 15:31


..... And what does it mean to be in your photographer network?
 
To be part of this network is to be part of a very original and generous idea: the "curator" interacts and shares his work with photographers he met. This is clever enough to feel happy to have pictures in his collection. Thomas Kellner gives, receives, shares and shows photography. A few verbs for a lot of work, great work!


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Von: Claudia Fährenkemper
Gesendet: Samstag, 9. März 2013 20:18
An: Thomas Kellner
Betreff: answer - with pleasure!

Lieber Thomas,
ich habe hier noch einmal meinen Kommentar eingefügt - zu meinem Bild, dass ich speziell für dieses letzte Mal ausgewählt habe:
"Ich dachte, dass ein Rad - und natürlich eins der größten der Welt -  genau das Richtige sein würde für ein Projekt, was Du angestoßen hast und eine ganz schön lange Zeit in Bewegung gehalten hast, aus dem sich wieder neue Verbindungen, Freundschaften, Bereicherungen ergeben und vielfach ergeben haben.
Wir werden alle DEIN PHOTOGRAPHERS:NETWORK vermissen!"
Und jetzt noch einmal in Englisch:
To participate in your photographers:network means a lot for me. Every year I am looking forward to this event being curious whom I will meet personally from different countries throughout the world and which new and interesting work and artistic approach I will come across. I think it is the diversity of different photographic paths, different ages and cultural backgrounds of the participants which makes it so inspiring. Your great organization together with Helga, your continuing increasing personal worldwide network contacts together with your and Helga's personal warmth offer us a unique opportunity of a meeting on a high level in a relaxed intimate atmosphere . I love to spend and share time, talks, meals and walks together and to discuss about images and life of each other in an intense two- or three- days-stay in Siegen. It is often a beginning of a longtime friendship with the artists I meet. And being selected, means always to trade/exchange work with each other. To trade and live with work of friends makes our life richer and connections stronger in times of just  being a friend with a click at the computer.
Your network is a powerful thing, which I support since its early beginning. I will miss it as the salt in the soup of the year!
Liebe Grüße auch an Helga und alles Gute für die Eröffnung morgen,
Claudia

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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Marco Citron
Gesendet: Freitag, 8. März 2013 11:04

Hello Thomas,
Pity to listen that you are closing photographers:network.
Answering your question what I can say?
I don't like social network, I like only photographer network.

It's short but true
Thanks
Marco


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Von: pengxiangjie
Gesendet: Freitag, 8. März 2013 02:16
An: info@tkellner.com
Betreff: Re:Dear Peng Xiangjie, I have a question and need your answer

Dear Thomas,
In my opinion, the photographer network means the collection can be known by the people from outside with this way.
With this project, your collection can be known by outside and you can know other`s collection. It`s a very important platform for photographers.
At the same time I was wondered why u close down such a great project which lasts 10 years. My Chinese friends and I feel so regret for closing down the project. In consider of lasting the project, I want to know if there is a possibility to transfer this project to china.

Peng Xiangjie
08-03-2013

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Von: andrea mendes
Gesendet: Sonntag, 10. März 2013 16:45

I just find Photographers: network a really special, serious, clever and funny project, all at once!
Is such a special and personal way to make lots of interesting movements all together as knowing new artists, connecting them, create a very special international collection, travelling...
The atmosphere I founded at photographers: network, the year I was selected, and that I had the happy chance to be there to the opening, to the lecture, to meet other Photographers, to participate at Informal dinners and barbecue with Thomas, Helga and other participants, was simply an unforgivable experience.
I remember when I read at Thomas invitation that would be a chance to meet other photographers in a simple ambient, with no competitiveness clime, that that seemed very inviting for me, and was just like it felt later.
I did great friends, and I was opening a little art gallery in Brazil at The time, so, I could meet photographers there with which I did such a great connection that I invited them to be my represented artists, and we remain friends until today.
Thomas also gives a really generous help to Photographers by printing a booklet of the project, and sending this catalogue to his contacts world wile.
I love so much this project and idea, that I consider bringing the idea somehow to my country, as I also collect and work as an Independent merchant, so I know lots of photographers because of my work as merchant and in my shows in photography festivals, where I met Thomas.

Was and honor with happiness for me to participate at photographers: network, thank you and congratulations Thomas!

Best,

Andrea

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Von: Charise Isis
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 6. März 2013 19:30


Hi Thomas,
I hope all is well with you.

Here is my answer: (It may not be as brief as you would like it to be).
"I'm sure that when Thomas started the photographers:network, that he had no idea of the scope of what he was creating.  It was a simple idea... an exchange of art for art between two artists who admired each other’s work.
Of course by the time my work was accepted into the network in 2007, Thomas' collection was becoming rather vast as a result of this ever growing exchange continuing from year to year.  Not only was it a vast collection but it had become an important collection as the scope of each artists career had expanded.
I'm honored for my work to be part of such an important collection that has its roots in the simple concept of artists sharing and exchanging work.  And I'm also thrilled that in participating... my own very small collection of photographs boasts a Thomas Kellner photograph in its midst."

Hugs,
isis.

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Von: Judy Gelles
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 6. März 2013 19:16
Last year I had a meeting with the curator of Photography from the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA.
The first thing she said was that she saw my photo in the book from the photographers: Network Selection.
It was great to have my work noticed by an important curator. It was a good introduction.
Thanks
Judy