Julia Gunther

EXHIBITIONS

2024
Zilveren Camera, Museum Hilversum, NL; ‘Chedino’

2023
British Journal of Photography, Female In Focus, Bridge & Tunnel Gallery, New York, USA; ‘Miss July’ from Calendar Girls
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, AU; ‘Amsterdam Cats Kelly & Rufina’ from For The Love Of The Game
Festival of Ethical Photography presents World.Photo Award, Lodi, IT; ‘Miss January’ from Calendar Girls
British Journal of Photography, OpenWalls Arles, Galerie Huit Arles, FR, ‘Eunice’ from The Unheard
Der Greif, Pinakothek de Moderne, Pavillion 333, Munich, DE; ‘Abe’ & ‘Esther’ from The Unheard
Dysturb, La Gaité Lyrique, Paris, FR; #womenmatter; ‘Malawi Eleven’
Africa Foto Fair, MuCAT Museum, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; ‘The Black Mambas’
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain, UK; ‘Abe’

2022
Yakushima PhotoFestival, Japan; ‘The Newlyweds’ & ‘IJ-Nymph Elly’
British Journal of Photography, International Photography Award, Seen Fifteen Gallery, UK; ‘Esther’ from The Unheard
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, AU; ‘The Newlyweds’ from For The Love Of The Game
British Journal of Photography, Female In Focus, Photofusion, UK; ‘Miss July’ from Calendar Girls
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; ‘The Newlyweds’ & ‘IJ-Nymph Elly’
Festival of Ethical Photography presents World.Photo Award, Lodi, IT; ‘IJ-Nymph Saskia’
f3 - Freiraum Für Fotografie, Berlin, DE; ‘Rainbow Girls’

2021
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney, AU; ‘WDDU Martha & Tim’
Gallery Mirko Mayer/ M-Projects, Cologne, DE; Identity, ‘Calendar Girls’
UNSEEN, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Calendar Girls’
Festival of Ethical Photography presents World.Photo Award, Lodi, IT; ‘WDDU Martha & Tim’
The Nest Summit for Climate Week, Javits Center, NYC, USA; ‘The Black Mambas’
British Journal of Photography’s ‘Decade of Change’, Hong Kong, CN; ‘The Black Mambas’

2020
Photo Kiev Fair, Kiev, UA; ‘No Sex For Fish’
International Photography Festival of Belo Horizonte, BR; ‘Calendar Girls’
Wellcome Photography Prize, UK; ‘Hadia’
7th Suwon International Photo Festival, South Korea; ‘Calendar Girls’ & ‘Fanny’
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; ‘Calendar Girls’ & ‘Fanny’
Gallery Mirko Mayer/ M-Projects, Cologne, DE; Sidestep, ‘Fish For Sex’

2019
PhotoVogue Festival, Milan, IT; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
UNSEEN, Amsterdam, NL, solo; ‘Fish For Sex’ & ‘The Black Mambas’
Month of Photography Los Angeles, USA; Projection: ‘The Black Mambas’
Gallery Mirko Mayer, Cologne, DE; Photography in Space, ‘Fish For Sex’
Gallery Mirko Mayer, Cologne, DE; Masterpieces & Personalities, ‘The Black Mambas’
IHLIA LGBTI Heritage, OBA, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Chedino’

2018
Dysturb, Visa Pour L’Image, Perpignan, FR; ‘Malawi Eleven’, #womenmatter
Gallery Mirko Mayer, Cologne, DE; Masterpieces & Personalities, ‘The Black Mambas’
IHLIA LGBTI Heritage, OBA, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Chedino’
Objectifs, Chapel Gallery, Singapore; Women in Photography 2018; Slideshow: 'The Black Mambas'
Gallery Mirko Mayer/ M-Projects, Cologne, DE; 'Recent Works: Proud Women of Africa'
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; 'The Black Mambas' & 'Busie'
SANDESH: India’s First Photography Festival for Transgender Community, IND; ‘Chedino’                

2017
Festiphoto Menthon St Bernard, FR; ‘The Black Mambas’
FC Barcelona Photo Awards, Barcelona, ES; ‘Malawi Eleven’
Head On Photo Festival, Museum of Sydney, AU; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, The National Portrait Gallery, London; Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens; The Beaney, Canterbury, UK; ‘The Black Mambas’

2016
Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize Exhibition, The National Portrait Gallery, London, UK; ‘The Black Mambas’
FotoWeekDC, ‘Represent’ by Refinery29, Washington D.C., USA; ‘The Black Mambas’
Photoville 2016, ‘Represent’ by Refinery29, New York, USA; ‘The Black Mambas’
Head On Photo Festival, Museum of Sydney, AU; ‘Rainbow Girls’

2015
New York Photo Festival, The Last Picture Show, USA & South Korea; ‘Chedino & Family’
Photoville The Fence, New York, Atlanta, Houston, USA; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
Wundermarket Amsterdam, NL; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; 'Chedino’
IHLIA LGBTI Heritage, OBA, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Chedino & Family’
Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, GR; ‘Chedino & Family’
GRID Cape Town Biennial, SA; ‘Proud Women of Africa’

2014
New York Photo Festival, Photoworld, New York, USA; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church & Rainbow Girls’
Photoville, ALIVE Dutch Photography, New York, USA; ‘Rainbow Girls’
IHILIA LGBTI Heritage, OBA, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Rainbow Girls’

2013
Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR, USA; ‘Rainbow Girls’
Menier Gallery, London, UK, Life Framer; ‘Maternity Ward’                                                
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; 'Ruthy Goes to Church'
W1F Gallery, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Rainbow Girls’

2012
LhGWR Gallery, The Hague, NL; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
The Art of Photography Show, San Diego, USA; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
ARTWORKS, Glassworks, Amsterdam, NL; ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, MY; 'Roos'
Pakhuis Wilhelmina, Amsterdam, NL; ‘De Hard Rock Karaoke’

AWARDS, GRANTS

2024
Pulitzer Center, Deep Dives: Ocean & Fisheries Reporting Grant
Zilveren Camera 2023, Publieksprijs, Nominated

2023
Head On Photo Awards, Finalist
Royal Photographic Society, IPE#165, Shortlisted
Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, Shortlisted
British Journal of Photography, OpenWalls Arles, Winner
World.Report Award 2023, Single Shot, Shortlisted
AI-AP, American Photography AP39 Archive, Winner
British Journal of Photography, Portrait of Britain, Winner

2022
British Journal of Photography, International Photography Award, Winner
British Journal of Photography, Female In Focus, Winner
Head On Photo Awards, Finalist
Royal Photographic Society, IPE#164, Shortlisted
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist
World.Report Award 2022, Single Shot, Shortlisted
AI-AP, American Photography AP38 Book, Winner

2021
Royal Photographic Society, IPE#163, Shortlisted
World.Report Award 2021, Single Shot, Shortlisted
AI-AP, American Photography AP37 Book, Winner
Gomma Grant 2020, Shortlisted

2020
Rabo Photographic Portrait Prize, Shortlisted
Wellcome Photography Prize, Category: Medicine in Focus, Winner
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist
COCA, Center of Contemporary Artists, Finalist

2019
Sigma Delta Chi Awards 2019, Digital Non-Deadline Reporting for NPR, Winner

2018
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF): Reporting Grants For Women Stories
PDN Storyteller 2018: People, Winner
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist

2017
Felix Schoeller Photo Award, Shortlisted
FC Barcelona Photo Awards 2016, Finalist
Head On Photo Awards, Finalist

2016
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
Head On Photo Awards, Finalist
Moscow International Photo Awards, Honorable Mention

2015
New York Photo Festival presents The Last Picture Show, Winner
Moscow International Photo Awards, 2nd Place
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist

2014
New York Photo Festival presents PhotoWorld, Winner
Photolucida Critical Mass, Finalist Top 200
Moscow International Photo Awards, Honorable Mention

2013
LensCulture Exposure Awards, Winner
GUP New Dutch Photography Talent
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist

2012
Amsterdams Fonds Voor De Kunst (AFK), Projectsubsidie ‘Proud Women of Africa’
New York Photo Awards, Interim Winner
37th Anniversary International Professional Women Photographers, Winner
The Photographer’s Forum Magazine, Best of Photography 2012
Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, Finalist

INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, BOOKS AND ARTICLES

2024
AI-AP, American Photography 40, USA, Book & Archive, ‘Laila’ & ‘Safijja’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’
NPR, USA, ‘At this international pageant, trans women around world blend beauty and activism’ by Nick Schönfeld

2023
AI-AP, American Photography 39, USA, Archive, ‘Kelly & Rufina’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’
Die Zeit, DE, ‘Alle Regler Auf Anschlag’ by Julia Lorenz & Christian Vooren
NPR, USA, ‘Power of the Sash: How a beauty pageant became a platform for change in South Africa’ by Nick Schönfeld
NPR, USA, ‘Miss Trans Africa’s Long Wait For Freedom’ by Nick Schönfeld
Télérama Magazine, FR, ‘DGTL Amsterdam’ by Jean-Baptiste Roch
Die Zeit, DE, ‘Prof. Dr. Maurice Crul: Migration’ by Philipp Daum
British Journal of Photography, UK, ‘Portrait of Britain’; Book

2022
Women Photograph, USA, 2022 Year In Pictures, Book, ‘Amsterdam Cats Kelly & Rufina’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’
Der Greif, DE, ‘The Collectivity Issue’ magazine; ‘Rotterdam Ravens Sushell’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’
NPR, USA, ‘For the love of the game: These were the athletes of the Queens Football League’ by Nick Schönfeld
NPR, USA, ‘Whatever happened to … the pandemic-delayed wedding dreams of Patrick and Fiona?’ by Nick Schönfeld
f3, Freiraum Für Fotografie, Berlin, DE, Photo Talk, ‘Rainbow Girls’
Der Greif, DE, Guest Room Alfred Weidinger, ‘The Newlyweds’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’
AI-AP, American Photography 38, USA, Book & Archive, ‘The Newlyweds’ from the series ‘For the love of the game’

2021
So Good Magazine, FR, ‘Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup’
AI-AP, American Photography 37, USA, Book & Archive, ‘The Unheard’
NPR, USA, ‘Whatever happend to … The Women Who Boldly Declared: No Sex For Fish’, by Viola Kosome & Marc Silver
NPR, USA, ‘The New Faces Of Pandemic Food Insecurity: Hungry, Worried … Yet Generous’ by Nick Schönfeld
NPR, USA, ‘The Follow-Up: COVID Love Story’, by Nick Schönfeld
WWF, Report, Cover, ‘Gender And Illegal Wildlife Trade: Overlooked And Underestimated’
Icarus Complex Magazine, UK, Issue 3, Dr Kirsten Dunlop, EIT Climate-KIC
The New York Times, USA, ‘When Rembrandt Met An Elephant’, by Nina Siegal
WhyNow Magazine, UK, ‘The Black Mambas’, by Eva Clifford
NPR, USA, ‘After U.S. Immigration Battle, Musician Kayhan Kalhor Returns To Iran’, by Anastasia Tsioulcas
Die Zeit, DE, Leo Magazin Für Kinder, ‘Komm Mit Auf Weltreise’, 02/2021

2020
NPR, USA, ‘COVID Love Story’, by Nick Schönfeld
NPR, USA, ‘Telling Stories Of Resilience In A Pandemic’, virtual photography workshop
PF Magazine, NL, #8, ‘Verhalen Van Moedige Vrouwen’, by Evelien Lindeboom
Creative Review, The Photography Annual, UK, ‘Sniffing Out Wildlife Crime With Malawi’s First Detection Dog Unit’
NPR, USA, ‘Life Was Improving For ‘No Sex For Fish'. Then Came The Flood’ by Marc Silver
The Independent, UK, ‘Stop The Illegal Wildlife Trade: The Detection Dogs Sniffing Out Wildlife Crime’ by Emma Ledger
NPR, USA, ‘Portraits Of Resilience: How 19 Women Around The Globe Face The Pandemic’, by Nick Schönfeld
New Queer Photography, Book, Gingko Press Inc. & Verlag Kettler; by Benjamin Wohlbergs
Frankfurter Allgemeine Quarterly Magazine, DE, ‘Schützen 5 Hunde Afrikas Tiere vor Wilderern?’, by Nick Schönfeld
The New York Times, USA, ‘Hostels Try To Adapt For The COVID-19 Era’, by Alexandra E. Petri
And She Was Like: BÄM, Düsseldorf Photo+ presents 55 photographers, by Leonie Pfennig & Charlotte Lang
The New York Times Magazine For Kids, USA, ‘Meet Amsterdam’s Junior Bike Major’, by Rebecca Pitts

2019
NPR, USA, ‘No Sex For Fish: How Women In A Fishing Village Are Fighting For Power’, by Marc Silver
Creative Review, The Photography Annual, UK, ‘Calendar Girls’ & Project #ShowUs by DOVE
Die Zeit, Christ & Welt, DE, ‘Es ist ein Riss entsprungen’, by Andreas Öhler
Fotokroniek #68, Pakhuis De Zwijger, Amsterdam, NL, Talk
The IWMF, USA, Instagram Takeover: Fish For Sex,
The New York Times, USA, ‘Earthquakes Are Jolting The Netherlands. Gas Drilling Is to Blame’, by Stanley Reed
Amnesty International’s Wordt Vervolgd Magazine, NL, cover, ‘Fish For Sex’, by Henk van Renssen
Quanta Magazine, USA, ‘To Invent A Quantum Internet’, by Natalie Wolchover
NPR, USA, ‘The Dark Secret of Lake Malawi: Trading Sex For Fish’, by Marc Silver
ARTMAPP Magazine, DE, Cover, ‘Proud Women of Africa’, Interview, by Bettina Götz

2018
The Royal Photographic Society, UK, Instagram Takeover: RPS100Heroines,
Quanta Magazine, USA, ‘Ewine van Dieshoek, The Netherlander Who Traced Water’s Origin’, by Olena Shmahalo
PDN, USA, ‘Photo Of The Day - Proud Women of Africa’,
NRC, NL, ‘Ik at soep met tranen!’, by Lamyae Aharouay & Anna Krijger
NRC, NL, ‘Deze verminkende hersensloper is nog niet gepakt’, by Sander Voormolen
The New York Times Portfolio Review, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, New York, USA
NRC, NL, ‘Zo krijgt Afrika elektriciteit’, by Paul Luttikhuis

2017
Open Society Foundations, USA, Instagram Takeover: On South Africa’s majority- female anti- poaching squad
Die Zeit, Christ & Welt, DE, ‘Was haben wir übersehen?’; by Hannes Leitlein
Weekend Argus, SA, ‘Photos depict how women challenge stereotypes’ by Michael Morris
Marie Claire Magazine, UK, ‘Period pride in Malawi’ by Emma Ledger
Der Greif, Guest Room – Azu Nwagbogu; Malawi Eleven
TIME For Kids Magazine, ‘Cricket For All’ by Kio Herrera
PF Magazine, ‘Trots als gemene deler’ Interview, by Naomi Heidinga
PictureThis, Fotomuseum Den Haag, NL, Talk
LensCulture, ‘Proud Women of Africa’, Video Interview from 2016
Al Jazeera, ‘Malawi’s cricketer girls break stereotypes and barriers’ by Nick Schönfeld
Weekend Argus, SA, ‘Breaking the cycle of women’s poverty’ by Michael Morris
Huffington Post, ‘Meet The Young Malawian Women Tailoring and Selling Reusable Sanitary Pads’ by Priscilla Frank
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK, Instagram Takeover: The Black Mambas

2016
Refinery29, The Reusable Sanitary Pads of Malawi by Andrea Gonzalez-Ramirez
Life Force Magazine, ‘The Black Mambas’, Photo- Essay,
The Guardian, My Best Shot, ‘Julia Gunther’s best photograph: The church brigade leader giving Cape Town kids hope’, Interview, by Ben Beaumont-Thomas
HUCK Magazine, ‘Capturing the power and strength of African women’, Interview, by Michael Segalov
Refinery29UK, ‘Meet The Women Risking Their Lives To Save Elephants in SA’ by Emma Ledger
Refinery29, ‘Stunning Images From 29 Women We Admire’
Africa Rising, Book about Fashion, Design and Lifestyle from Africa; by Gestalten & Design Indaba
De Correspondent, ‘Waar zijn de lesbiennes gebleven?’ by Maaike Meijer
Brigitte Magazine, Nr.8, ‘Die mutigen Schutzengel der Nashörner’ by Sarah Levy
WIRED, ‘The Young Women Who Hunt South Africa’s Poachers – Unarmed’ by Laura Mallonee
Captured Nation, ‘Powerful Insight Into the Strength of African Women’ Interview
The Lake Magazine, #008, ‘The Black Mambas’
Shots.net, ‘South Africa Special: Julia Gunther’, Interview, by Selena Schleh
L’Espresso, ‘In Africa l’orgoglio è femmina’, Interview, by Vincenzo Giardina

2015
Weekend Argus, SA, ‘Living Life On Her Own Terms’, by Michael Morris
CNN, Inside Africa, ‘They’re called the Black Mambas, and they’re a poachers worst nightmare’ 
Refinery29, ‘I Am Strong, I Am A Woman & I Bite Like A Mamba’ by Kaelyn Forde
Al Jazeera AJ+, ‘Chedino & Family – Julia Gunther on being Trans in South Africa’,
Refinery29, ‘Stunning Portraits of Chedino & Her Family’ by Kaelyn Forde
DAZED, ‘Capturing the life of a trans woman in South Africa’ by Ashleigh Kane
Marie Claire Magazine, SA, ‘The Women Who Hunt Poachers’ by Sylvia McKeown and Sarah Koopman
TIME For Kids Magazine, Cover, ‘On Patrol – The Black Mambas’ by Aryn Baker
TIME Magazine, ‘Meet the female rangers trying to save South Africa’s rhinos’ by Aryn Baker
TIME Video, ‘Inside the New Weapon against Poachers’ by Aryn Baker
The Independent On Sunday: The New Review Magazine, Cover, ‘The Lion Queens’ by Kate Wills
The Creators Project VICE, ‘Rolling with the Black Mambas’ by Beckett Mufson
Huffington Post Mag #167, Cover, ‘Meet The Black Mambas’ by Priscilla Frank
Al Jazeera AJ+, ‘The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit: Champions of the Earth’
Weekend Argus, SA, ‘Poachers, Beware these Mambas’ by Michael Morris
Huffington Post, ‘Meet The Black Mambas’ by Priscilla Frank
Aint- Bad Magazine, ‘Ruthy Goes to Church’
HuffPostLive, WorldBrief with @CarolMT, ‘Black Mambas of South Africa’
The New York Times Magazine, ‘On Patrol with the Black Mambas’, Photo Essay
New Dawn Paper, ‘Julia Gunther is gefascineerd door het doorzettingsvermogen van de mensheid’, Interview
Het Parool, NL, ‘Voor alles dat zwemt, vliegt of kruipt’ by Lara Aerts
National Geographic, ‘Portraits of Strength; Rainbow Girls’ by Jessie Wender
Weekend Argus, SA, ‘Lesbians living, loving and out in Khayelitsha’ by Michael Morris
Huffington Post, ‘Meet the ‘Rainbow Girls’ by Priscilla Frank
Feature Shoot, ‘Rainbow Girls shows South Africa’s Lesbian Community In Bold Contrast’ by Elyssa Goodman

2014
Creative Review, The Photography Annual, UK, Cover, ‘Rainbow Girls’
Zoom Magazine, Italy ‘The Futures of Portrait: Rainbow Girls’ by Sara Namias
Vision Magazine #141, China, ‘Culture: Smells Like Teen Spirit – Rainbow Girls’ by Liz Xu
The Candid Frame Podcast, USA, Episode 230 – Julia Gunther by Ibarionex Perello
DAZED, ‘South Africa’s Rainbow Girls’; Interview by Maisie Skidmore

2013
ORMS, SA, ‘Stylised portraits of women: Wall of Women’ by Francois W. Nel
ToneLit Magazine, ‘Issue Four: Rainbow Girls’

2012
Het Parool, NL, ‘Ware Liefde in Groep 5’ by Lara Aerts
PhotoQ Review by Lise Lotte ten Voorde ‘Uiterst Aangenaam Tegengif: Somehow, Somewhat in the middle of things groepstentontoonstelling met Ruthy Goes to Church’