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Rotlicht Festival Vienna
Rotlicht Festival Vienna
November 19, 2025
© Oleksandr Glyadyelov, Vova with his pet chick, Odesa 2001
From the festival centre at the “Atelierhaus” of the Academy of Fine Arts, to numerous satellite locations around the city, the biennial Rotlicht Festival is once again set to celebrate the enormous breadth of contemporary analogue photography.
At the heart of the 5th edition is a major exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Oleksandr Glyadyelov (b. 1956). His work – distinguished by a combination of empathy, radical proximity, and political acuity – shines a light on life in Europe’s peripheral regions. The comprehensive showcase is complemented by artist talks, guided tours, and a film screening followed by a Q&A.
This year's open-call exhibition, Life After Extinction? is attracting particular attention. The contest’s Grand Prix winner, Ella Morton, and 19 other selected applicants present their visions of the future – be it from an ecological, social, or speculative point of view. The featured photographers outline ways of life between collapse and resilience, explore the topic of coexistence in the Anthropocene, and share visual fragments of possible futures. The showcase, which opens on November 21, forms a conceptual counterpoint to Glyadyelov's documentary-based work.
In addition to the main exhibitions, the Rotlicht Festival offers a diverse and densely packed programme of satellite showcases and special events – ranging from Artist Talks & Book Signings with Oleksandr Glyadyelov to workshops on cyanotype printing, darkroom techniques, and film and C-41 development. Also featured are panel discussions on documentary practices and research processes, as well as a live presentation by LFI editor David Rojkowski – taking audiences on a journey through the history of camera culture and visual aesthetics under the heading of Leica Photography Through 100 Years.
With its array of exhibitions in galleries, cafes, cultural institutions and alternative spaces all over Vienna, the Rotlicht Festival illustrates just how dynamic and relevant analogue photography is in the present day.
David RojkowskiAt the heart of the 5th edition is a major exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Oleksandr Glyadyelov (b. 1956). His work – distinguished by a combination of empathy, radical proximity, and political acuity – shines a light on life in Europe’s peripheral regions. The comprehensive showcase is complemented by artist talks, guided tours, and a film screening followed by a Q&A.
This year's open-call exhibition, Life After Extinction? is attracting particular attention. The contest’s Grand Prix winner, Ella Morton, and 19 other selected applicants present their visions of the future – be it from an ecological, social, or speculative point of view. The featured photographers outline ways of life between collapse and resilience, explore the topic of coexistence in the Anthropocene, and share visual fragments of possible futures. The showcase, which opens on November 21, forms a conceptual counterpoint to Glyadyelov's documentary-based work.
In addition to the main exhibitions, the Rotlicht Festival offers a diverse and densely packed programme of satellite showcases and special events – ranging from Artist Talks & Book Signings with Oleksandr Glyadyelov to workshops on cyanotype printing, darkroom techniques, and film and C-41 development. Also featured are panel discussions on documentary practices and research processes, as well as a live presentation by LFI editor David Rojkowski – taking audiences on a journey through the history of camera culture and visual aesthetics under the heading of Leica Photography Through 100 Years.
With its array of exhibitions in galleries, cafes, cultural institutions and alternative spaces all over Vienna, the Rotlicht Festival illustrates just how dynamic and relevant analogue photography is in the present day.
© Oleksandr Glyadyelov, Vova with his pet chick, Odesa 2001
Rotlicht Festival 2024
© Nick Wohlfahrt, Rotlicht Festival 2024
© Amina Homann, Rotlicht Festival 2024