Agata Szymanska-Medina (b.1981) is Polish visual artist, photojournalist, and storyteller based in Berlin Germany. She graduated in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hannover, Germany. Her work focuses on long-term projects with socio-political issues.

Agata is working as a freelance photo- and video journalist. Her work has been published in DER SPIEGEL, Stern, DIE ZEIT, The Guardian, BuzzFeed, SZ-Magazin, ARTE, FAZ, Politiken, Taz, DUMMY Magazin, Stuttgarter Zeitung, Free Mens World, Spiegel Online, Zenith, SPIEGEL WISSEN, SPIEGEL JOB, Zeit Online, JWD, Gazeta Wyborcza

Awards/Grants

Magnum Foundation – Counter Histories Grant 2022

Gute Aussichten – New German Photography 2022/2023 – winner

VG Bild-Kunst – Project Grant – Kulturwerk Foundation of VGB Kunst

Local Cross-Border Journalism Grant – Scholarship for local cross-border journalism – Journalismfund.eu

Scholarship VII Academy Sarajevo 2021 – Nine-month Seminar for Narrative and Documentary Practice

European Cross-Border Grant – Scholarship for investigative journalism – Journalismfund.eu

The Heinrich Böll Foundation Fellowship – Fellowship for Journalists 2021

FPGC Found – Journalism Grant – Foundation for Polish-German Collaboration

VG Bild-Kunst – Scholarship for open development projects – Kulturwerk Foundation of VGB Kunst

Lotto Brandenburg Photography Art Prize 2021 – winner

Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award 2021 – Shortlist

German Reporterpreis 2020 – nomination

German-Polish T. Mazowiecki Journalist Award  2020 – winner in category multimedia

Masterclass Nikon-Noor Academy 2017, C/O Berlin

Kartographen – Mercator Grant Program for Journalists

Reporters in the Field Grant – R. Bosch Stiftung

Zenith Award –  2 Prize

n-ost Reportage Award 2017 – shortlist

n-ost Reportage Award 2016 –  shortlist

Exhibitions

2023 Group Exhibition „Gute Aussichten – new german photography 2022/23“, PHOXII HAUS DER PHOTOGRAPHIE, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg (G)

2023 Group Exhibition „Gute Aussichten – new german photography 2022/23“, Landesmuseum Koblenz, Kulturzentrum Festung Ehrenbreitstein, Koblenz (G)

2022 Group Exhibition „WOMEN ON THE MOVE – EASTERN EUROPE FROM TRADITION TO ACTION“, Freiraum für Fotografie F3, Berlin (G)

2022 Group Exhibition „Turbulent Times – Wiesbadener Fototage“, Frauen Museum, Wiesbaden(G)

2022 Group Exhibition „Zwischenzeit“, GAF Galerie Für Fotografie, Hannover (G)

2021 Group Exhibition „Strukturen im Wandeln“, Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum für moderne Kunst, CB Dieselkraftwerk, Cottbus (G)

2019 Group Exibition „WHAT’S NEXT: STUDENTS FROM HANOVER.“ Visa pour I`lmage: Festival International du Photojournalisme, Parpignion (Fr)

2018 Group Exhibition „European Youth“ – Coop. with Magnum/Speos School Paris, Danish School of Media and Journalismus and Univ. of Applied Sciences & Arts Hannover, Kunst- und Kulturzentrum der Städte Region Aachen, Monschau (G)

2018 Group Exhibition „Youth“,  Triennial of Photography – Container of Univ. of Applied Sciences & Arts Hannover, Hamburg (G)

2016 Group Exhibition „Linden Leben“, Halle 96, Hannover (G)

2015 Group Exhibition „Bialystok Interphoto Festival“, Bialystok (PL)

2015 Group Exhibition „Linden Leben“, Kunsthalle Faust, Hannover (G)

2015 Group Exhibition „Muslime in Deutschland“, Stadtmuseum, Erlangen (G)

2014 Group Exhibition „Fotodialog“, Haus der Kultur, Opalenica (PL)

2013 Group Exhibition „Handwerk“, Künstlerhaus, Hannover (G)

2013 Group Exhibition „Muslime in Deutschland“, Haus der Geschichte, Bonn (G)

2012 Group Exhibition „Bilder der Islam in Deutschland“, Stiftung Mercator im Zusammenarbeit mit Zenith Zeitschrift für den Orient, Berlin (G)

2012 Group Exhibition „Facetten des Seins“, Alte Feuerwache, Berlin (G)