HELLO AND WELCOME.

My name is Phillip Papadis, i’m a fashion, beauty and portrait photographer from Melbourne Australia that now lives in Gothenburg, Sweden. I am also a son, a husband, a brother, and pappa to an 8 year old rescue staffy called Nova.

I love electronic music, especially house and techno and I love going to raves. Feeling immersed in sound, with friends and strangers all sharing in the human experience of dance.

I am also part of a collective of photographers that share a studio space in Majorna, and we have decided to be a part of this years Gibca Extended Art Show (13th edition of the Gothenburg international art biennial - 20th September – 30th November 2025) .

THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS COMMUNITY AND SOLIDARITY.

Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art #13

September 20 – November 30, 2025

Can we think beyond Us and Them?

The biennial’s 13th edition invites artistic expressions rooted in an attitude of care that extends beyond personal concerns. In times of war, polarization and authoritarian tendencies, the biennial aims to investigate how art can facilitate dialogue and reflection and make resistance possible.

The title, “a hand that is all our hands combined”, originates in a line from a poem by Solmaz Sharif, and stands as a reminder of the collective responsibility that we all share towards the present, past and future, on both individual and societal levels.

Christina Lehnert, the curator, works here with artists who strive for artistic freedom, challenge the institutions who yield to political pressure, and have a practice characterized by acts of solidarity. A new sense of responsibility for the present emerges through active engagement in political events, social movements and alternative forms of expression.

How do we stand up against stories that create fragmentation? How can we act from a spirit of solidarity? And how do we preserve artistic freedom in the face of rhetoric characterized by exclusion?

The exhibition has grown out of the conviction that art can foster alternative and collective narratives in times when democratic values are called into question.

For my own contribution to the art show and in rebuke of external forces co-opting “authority” to target and oppress our community, I have been thinking about what it feels like to have a sense of belonging, a sense of community and solidarity and where do I feel this the most?

It was clear to me it was the dance floor - a place where human beings from all walks of life and all corners of the earth, are united by music free from oppression and judgement.

I want to capture this spirit through a series of portraits and a short film, documenting those who shape and sustain our underground scene.

I HUMBLY INVITE YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.

I invite you to my studio for a short and private photographic session in which I will take your portrait and ask about your experiences of community and solidarity in the dance scene. The session will also be recorded as part of the video piece to accompany the portraits.

For artists who are willing to invite me into their space, I’d love to visit your studio or home to photograph you in your creative environment, showing how your work contributes to our culture. These portraits and recordings will become part of a public exhibition, celebrating freedom of expression, community, solidarity—and dance itself.

If you’d like to participate, please register using the form below, or reply via Instagram/email if that’s how you received this invitation. All participants will be asked to sign a model release form, giving permission for the work to be shown publicly. In return, you’ll receive a high-resolution copy of your portrait. You will not be charged any fee to participate in this project or to receive the images. It is a personal project for me and all I ask is for your time and participation to make these portraits.

Below is a selection of past portraits of musicians, designers and artists, offering a glimpse of my style and approach.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you will join me in documenting your part in this incredible scene.