Photobook; Un-Identified by Annick Donkers

UN-IDENTIFIED is a series about the belief in alien species and how people construct their own world and perceptions. The series is based on a personal experience I had at the age of 10 that triggered my passion for the subject and curiosity to understand the psychology behind it.

The idea for the series came after visiting the International UFO Congress in Phoenix. I was impressed by the multitude of people attracted by this event and the secrecy surrounding the subject. I felt as if I was entering a new universe, a subculture in which spaceships, contacts with creatures from other dimensions, space travel and abductions are part of the reality of believers, even if they are viewed as something strange and skeptical by outsiders.

Carl Jung said that modern man projects his inner state into the sky. In a cybernetic culture, full of uncertainties, catastrophes and fears of the unknown, people are looking for a way to redefine themselves and feel safe in a group of like-minded people. By giving the unexplained a divine and supernatural character, they feel both hopeful and chosen to be part of a sacred mission to spread the truth.

About Annick Donkers

Annick Donkers is a documentary photographer originally from Antwerp, Belgium. After obtaining her Master’s degree in Psychology, she decided to dedicate herself to photography. She received a grant for artistic creation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008 and the same year she was selected to participate in the Seminario de Fotografía Contemporánea 2008 of Centro de la Imagen. Her work has been exhibited and published internationally.
She was one of the winners of Survival International competition (England – 2015), won an award at San Jose Foto Festival (Uruguay – 2016), Sony Awards (England – 2016), MIFA Awards (Russia – 2016), IPA Awards (USA – 2016), TIFA Awards (Japan – 2016). She has received an honorable mention in Px3 Prix de la Photo (France – 2016), was selected in the Latin American Photography vol.5 / vol.6 / vol. 7 (USA – 2016 + 2017 + 2018) contest, for the cover of Dodho Magazine (Spain – 2016). She has been selected (shortlist) for the Kolga Awards (Georgia – 2017) and Athens Photofestival (Greece – 2017), received the Pedro Meyer Award at the Third Contemporary Photography Competition (Mexico – 2017), honorable mention at the ND Awards and Chromatic Awards (2017), winner of the Color Prize of Dodho Magazine (Spain – 2017), winner of the IPOTY Awards (2018), was selected to participate in the Addis Fotofest in (Ethiopia – 2018). Nomination in International Color Awards (USA – 2019), Shortlist expo PHest via PHMuseum (England – 2019), Shortlist Belfast Photo Festival (Ireland – 2019), Selection Fotofestival Pelt (Belgium – 2019), Selection Athens Photo Festival (Greece – 2019), Selection Women Grant via PHmuseum (England – 2019), Nomination International Photography Grant (USA – 2019), Selection Addis Fotofest (Ethiopia – 2020), Nomination International Color Awards (USA – 2020).Dodho Magazine Selection (Spain – 2020), Critical Mass Photolucida Finalist (2020), currently lives and works in Mexico City. [Official Website]