[REC]OUNT Photography Agora - International Photo Contest & Exhibition

• Recount Photography Agora

• Deadline: April 27th, 2026

• Theme: Numbers

• Prize: Exhibition in Barcelona (Spain)

• Entry Fees: Free

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

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Through this open call, we seek to gather a rich and diverse collection of visual narratives that combine photography and text to explore the pervasive role of quantification, classification, and ordering in shaping human life. These submissions will form the foundation of a broader curatorial project that will culminate in three physical exhibitions, accompanied by a publication that reflects the breadth and depth of the selected works. In addition, a curated selection of shortlisted contributions will be shared عبر our website and social media platforms, extending the dialogue to a wider audience.

We are particularly interested in works that critically or creatively engage with themes such as the ways in which systems of accounting, measurement, and classification mediate human relationships with the natural world; the inherent and imposed orders within ecological systems; and the cultural and historical significance of numbers and quantification across traditions. We also invite reflections on how these systems structure professional environments, influence spatial organization—from urban planning to cartographic practices—and shape the governance and discipline of the human body.

Further areas of interest include the ordering mechanisms that define human collectives, as well as moments of disruption—instances of resistance, excess, or breakdown—that challenge or overflow established systems of order. These tensions between structure and disorder are central to the conceptual framework of the project.

Textual components are not secondary but integral to each submission. Whether in the form of reflective writing, poetic expression, or descriptive narrative, the text should deepen and contextualize the visual work, contributing to a cohesive “visual story.” These texts will be featured alongside the images in both digital and physical formats.

The concept of “count” is intentionally layered: it evokes both the act of storytelling—of recounting—and the act of numerical measurement—of counting. This dual meaning underscores the project’s core inquiry. Numbers are not neutral; they are embedded in the ways we interpret and construct reality. In contemporary life, quantification is ubiquitous. We depend on numerical systems to organize our daily existence, while institutions—from markets to governments—use these same systems to measure, categorize, and ultimately influence our behaviors and identities.