KLPA 2025 – Autoportrait: Portrait Prize & Experimental Self-Portraits

• Kuala Lumpur Portrait Award

• Deadline: October 31st, 2025

• Category: Experimental Self Portraits

• Prize: €1,000 + Exhibition in Malaysia

• Entry Fees: Yes

• REGISTRATION: CLOSED. Click HERE for more Opportunities

In light of the remarkable reception received during our inaugural AUTOPORTRAIT open call, the Kuala Lumpur Photography Award is proud to introduce the 2025 Interim Edition, centered once again on the theme of Experimental Self-Portraits. This edition seeks to advance the dialogue around self-representation by encouraging artists to depart from the conventions of traditional portraiture and investigate more abstract, conceptual, and unconventional approaches.

The category of experimental self-portraiture is intentionally broad, offering participants the freedom to explore identity and selfhood through a wide range of visual languages. Works might incorporate unexpected materials, hybrid processes, or alternative perspectives, with the aim of expressing psychological states, personal narratives, or symbolic interpretations of the self. Such practices allow the portrait to evolve beyond representation into a space of imagination and critical reflection.

Submissions are open to both analogue and digital methods, encompassing techniques as diverse as darkroom manipulation, mixed media overlays, or digital recomposition. The emphasis remains on creativity, authenticity, and the artist’s personal engagement with the process. It should be noted, however, that AI-generated images will not be considered, as the Award privileges the hand and vision of the photographer.

For this edition, a newly convened jury of selectors has been assembled. Their task is to identify works that exemplify originality, depth of process, and narrative strength. Each self-portrait will be assessed as a distinct and complete study, capable of standing alone as a compelling artistic expression.