Aberration, transmutation, photographic flux.
My home is the color darkroom, where manual processes meet digital experimentation, offering nuanced perspectives on the tangible and intangible elements of the human experience. In my work, personal, institutional, analog, and digital realms find interconnected expression, reflecting a continuous exploration and understanding of the multifaceted dynamics that shape our lives. I engage with the expansive territories of photography, exploring the convergence of materiality and emotion. Through iterative and process-oriented methods, I create work that examines familial bonds, personal loss, identity, and institutional aspects of both environment and society. In tandem with my artistic work, I also produce photo reportages, a facet of my practice that keeps me connected to real-world narratives and ensures my work stays grounded in the fabric of contemporary realities.
CV
Akosua [a-koss-ya] Viktoria Adu-Sanyah is a German-Ghanaian artist based in Zürich, Switzerland.
Her work has been published in National Geographic, LUX Magazine, The Art Newspaper, Polka Magazine, Bloomberg, npr, DerBund, swissinfo, Tagesanzeiger, Brytehall, and others.
AWARDS, GRANTS, NOMINATIONS
2023 Book Publishing Grant City of Zurich
2023 Werkbeitrag Kanton Zürich / Canton of Zurich Art Grant
2023 Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize runner-up
2023 Nomination EXPOSED Torino Grant for Contemporary Photography
2023 Kunststipendium der Stadt Zürich / City of Zurich Art Grant
2022 Nomination C/O Berlin Talent Award
2022 Freiraumbeitrag / Working Stipend Kanton Zürich
2022 Louis Roederer Art Prize for Sustainability
2021 Prix d’Art Robert Schuman
2021 Book Publishing Grant Volkart Stiftung
2021 Nomination Photographic Encounters
2021 Recognition Fire Cracker Grant
2021 Book Project Grant Canton Zurich
2021 Story Lab Filmmaking Grant, Migros Kulturprozent
2020 Prix Photoforum 2020
2015 OPUS-Fotografiepreis
2015 Marta-Hoepffner-Preis für Fotografie – shortlist
2015 Nomination 22. Bundeswettbewerb
2014 Deutschlandstipendium
2013 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis / Award for Interdisciplinary Aesthetics
2012 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis / Award for Interdisciplinary Aesthetics
COLLECTIONS
2023 Stadt Zürich
2023 Art Vontobel
2022 RawDAO
2021 Fotomuseum Winterthur (Patron Edition)
2021 Stadt Saarbrücken
SOLO SHOWS
2022 Behold The Ocean, Centre Photographie Genéve CH
2022 May I Dream?, Photoforum Pasquart CH
2020 Hyper Solitude, Space Place Gallery of Modern Art, Nizhny Tagil RU
2019 FRISCH, with Eliane Zinner, visarte kabinett, Zürich CH
2015 révélée, k4 galerie, Saarbruecken DE
2015 Tausendmal. Der Versuch, with Malika Hagemann, Saarlandmuseum, Saarbruecken DE
2014 early birds, with Valerian Polienko, enovos, Saarbruecken DE
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2024 weg, Helmhaus, Zürich CH upcoming
2023 Alternative Mobility, Gia Lam Train Factory, Hanoi VN upcoming
2023 Art Vontobel – New Acquisitions, Vontobel, Zürich CH
2023 Werkschau Kanton Zürich, Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich CH
2023 Kunststipendien der Stadt Zürich 2023, Helmhaus, Zürich CH
2023 FOTODOKS – future perfect, Lothringer 13 Halle, München DE
2023 Beyond Photography, Vontobel, Zurich CH
2023 IDENTITIES – Portraying the Intangible, Kunsthalle Trier, Trier DE
2022 Black Helvetia, TPR, Le Locle CH
2022 work in progress 2.0, OnCurating, Zurich CH
2022 Superrare Collection Preview, Superrare Gallery, New York City USA
2022 ZORATOPIA, Knockdown Center, New York City USA
2022 Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability, The White Box at Nobu Hotel, London UK
2022 Poem = Work of Art, digital francisco carolinum and TheVerseVerse, AUT
2022 Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah Centre, Dubai UAE
2021 Prix d’Art Robert Schuman, Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken, Saarbrücken DE
2021 Digital Art Fair Asia, Hong Kong HK
2021 Cyberbaat Genesis, 1mA gallery and Foundation, Dakar SEN
2021 STILL, Road Gallery, Miami & L.A. USA
2021 Prix Photoforum, Photoforum Pasquart, Biel CH
2019 Fotonacht, Schwarzenburgstrasse 35, Bern CH
2016 Exposition photographique transfrontalière, Espace d‘Art Adagio, Thionville FR
2015 OPUS Fotografiepreis, Abbaye de Neimenster, Luxembourg LUX
2015 22. Bundeswettbewerb, Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn DE
2014 Love in a Cold World, Cusanushaus, Saarbruecken DE
2014 Aus der Reihe – 5. Marta-Hoepffner-Preis, Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, Hofheim DE
2013 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis für interdisziplinäre Ästhetik, HBK Galerie, Saarbruecken DE
2012 Unseen, KuBa Galerie, Saarbruecken DE
PUBLIC SPEAKING, SEMINARS, PODCASTS
2023
NFTs & Web3 for photographers
Two-day-workshop
Centre de la Photographie Genève, Geneva CHE
2022
NFTs & Web3 for creative practitioners: the future istokenized
Three-day-workshop
CCC Research Master and PhD-Forum, Haute école d'art et de design, Geneva CHE
2022
The Art (of) Revolution: NFTs & Web3 – Technology as cultural disruption
Evening lecture and panel with Uli Sigg and Ryan Zurrer
SQUARE – University of Sankt Gallen CHE
2022
The Raw Review
Podcast
2022
Behold The Ocean – Funding Science with Art on The Blockchain
and Diversity and Decolonizing Culture in Web3
nonfungibleconference, Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, Lisbon POR
2022
On Looking – The Year of NFT Photography?
NFT NYC, Marriot Marquis Times Square, New York City USA
2022
Forum Talks
Podcast
2023 Werkbeitrag Kanton Zürich / Canton of Zurich Art Grant
2023 Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize runner-up
2023 Nomination EXPOSED Torino Grant for Contemporary Photography
2023 Kunststipendium der Stadt Zürich / City of Zurich Art Grant
2022 Nomination C/O Berlin Talent Award
2022 Freiraumbeitrag / Working Stipend Kanton Zürich
2022 Louis Roederer Art Prize for Sustainability
2021 Prix d’Art Robert Schuman
2021 Book Publishing Grant Volkart Stiftung
2021 Nomination Photographic Encounters
2021 Recognition Fire Cracker Grant
2021 Book Project Grant Canton Zurich
2021 Story Lab Filmmaking Grant, Migros Kulturprozent
2020 Prix Photoforum 2020
2015 OPUS-Fotografiepreis
2015 Marta-Hoepffner-Preis für Fotografie – shortlist
2015 Nomination 22. Bundeswettbewerb
2014 Deutschlandstipendium
2013 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis / Award for Interdisciplinary Aesthetics
2012 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis / Award for Interdisciplinary Aesthetics
COLLECTIONS
2023 Stadt Zürich
2023 Art Vontobel
2022 RawDAO
2021 Fotomuseum Winterthur (Patron Edition)
2021 Stadt Saarbrücken
2015 Saarlandmuseum
RESIDENCIES
2023 MAP Artist Residency, Heritage Space Hanoi, VNM
2022 Artist Residency Photoforum Pasquart
SOLO SHOWS
2022 Behold The Ocean, Centre Photographie Genéve CH
2022 May I Dream?, Photoforum Pasquart CH
2020 Hyper Solitude, Space Place Gallery of Modern Art, Nizhny Tagil RU
2019 FRISCH, with Eliane Zinner, visarte kabinett, Zürich CH
2015 révélée, k4 galerie, Saarbruecken DE
2015 Tausendmal. Der Versuch, with Malika Hagemann, Saarlandmuseum, Saarbruecken DE
2014 early birds, with Valerian Polienko, enovos, Saarbruecken DE
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2024 weg, Helmhaus, Zürich CH upcoming
2023 Alternative Mobility, Gia Lam Train Factory, Hanoi VN upcoming
2023 Art Vontobel – New Acquisitions, Vontobel, Zürich CH
2023 Werkschau Kanton Zürich, Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich CH
2023 Kunststipendien der Stadt Zürich 2023, Helmhaus, Zürich CH
2023 FOTODOKS – future perfect, Lothringer 13 Halle, München DE
2023 Beyond Photography, Vontobel, Zurich CH
2023 IDENTITIES – Portraying the Intangible, Kunsthalle Trier, Trier DE
2022 Black Helvetia, TPR, Le Locle CH
2022 work in progress 2.0, OnCurating, Zurich CH
2022 Superrare Collection Preview, Superrare Gallery, New York City USA
2022 ZORATOPIA, Knockdown Center, New York City USA
2022 Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability, The White Box at Nobu Hotel, London UK
2022 Poem = Work of Art, digital francisco carolinum and TheVerseVerse, AUT
2022 Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah Centre, Dubai UAE
2021 Prix d’Art Robert Schuman, Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken, Saarbrücken DE
2021 Digital Art Fair Asia, Hong Kong HK
2021 Cyberbaat Genesis, 1mA gallery and Foundation, Dakar SEN
2021 STILL, Road Gallery, Miami & L.A. USA
2021 Prix Photoforum, Photoforum Pasquart, Biel CH
2019 Fotonacht, Schwarzenburgstrasse 35, Bern CH
2016 Exposition photographique transfrontalière, Espace d‘Art Adagio, Thionville FR
2015 OPUS Fotografiepreis, Abbaye de Neimenster, Luxembourg LUX
2015 22. Bundeswettbewerb, Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn DE
2014 Love in a Cold World, Cusanushaus, Saarbruecken DE
2014 Aus der Reihe – 5. Marta-Hoepffner-Preis, Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, Hofheim DE
2013 Peter und Luise Hager-Preis für interdisziplinäre Ästhetik, HBK Galerie, Saarbruecken DE
2012 Unseen, KuBa Galerie, Saarbruecken DE
PUBLIC SPEAKING, SEMINARS, PODCASTS
2023
NFTs & Web3 for photographers
Two-day-workshop
Centre de la Photographie Genève, Geneva CHE
2022
NFTs & Web3 for creative practitioners: the future is
Three-day-workshop
CCC Research Master and PhD-Forum, Haute école d'art et de design, Geneva CHE
2022
The Art (of) Revolution: NFTs & Web3 – Technology as cultural disruption
Evening lecture and panel with Uli Sigg and Ryan Zurrer
SQUARE – University of Sankt Gallen CHE
2022
The Raw Review
Podcast
2022
Behold The Ocean – Funding Science with Art on The Blockchain
and Diversity and Decolonizing Culture in Web3
nonfungibleconference, Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, Lisbon POR
2022
On Looking – The Year of NFT Photography?
NFT NYC, Marriot Marquis Times Square, New York City USA
2022
Forum Talks
Podcast