Kuala Lumpur Portrait Award - Autoportrait Prize 2026

• Kuala Lumpur Portrait Award

• Deadline: November 25th, 2027

• Category: Autoportrait

• Prize: €1,000 + Exhibitions in Malaysia and UK

• Entry Fees: Yes (Free for Students)

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

The third interim edition of KLPA's AUTOPORTRAIT 2026 Open Call invites photographers to reconsider self-portraiture through the expansive and imaginative concept of PLAY. Developed in collaboration with the FORMAT International Photography Festival, this edition connects the open call with the theme of PLAY chosen for FORMAT27, encouraging artists to experiment with photographic language, challenge conventions, and discover new approaches to representing themselves and the world around them.

Play has always been closely connected to the development of photography. From the earliest attempts to capture images of reality to the countless processes and techniques that followed, the medium has evolved through experimentation, repeated attempts, unexpected discoveries, and the exploration of possibilities that were not previously understood. The history of photography, encompassing early images, albumen printing, photograms, cyanotypes, and collage, reflects a continuous process of creative investigation. In this sense, play is not simply a recreational activity but an essential method of artistic discovery, allowing photographers to test ideas, make mistakes, and develop original ways of seeing.

As a photographic practice, self-portraiture provides a particularly rich space for this kind of creative freedom. It allows artists to experiment with identity, appearance, representation, and the construction of personal narratives. Participants may interpret PLAY as a source of pleasure and spontaneity, a means of provoking thought, an act of rebellion, or a way to question the rules governing images and their interpretation. Possible approaches include playful camera techniques, unconventional photographic processes, the use of new technologies, the documentation of games and sporting activities, and investigations into the relationship between photography, truth, and illusion. Artists may also explore the politics of play, its capacity to challenge social expectations, or the importance of protecting the freedom to play.

There are no limits to the possible interpretations of this theme, provided that the work engages with the creative potential of play and self-representation. Winners and finalists will be showcased through projection or a dedicated screening during FORMAT27, taking place in Derby, United Kingdom, from 11 March to 11 April 2027. The exhibition will bring selected projects into the festival's wider programme, highlighting diverse approaches to contemporary photographic practice.