Jelena Jankovic is a photographer from Belgrade with a strong artistic vision who creates and works in the wider area of the Balkan. Through his work, she explores human nature and psychological aspects of relationships through a wide spectrum of photographic genres - from documentary, theater, fashion, and portrait to experimental photography, combining different techniques and media. Her projects are created by researching people, movements, and emotions through a subjective approach to the topic she works on.
In 2018, she published her first photo monograph "Kolo: 70 years later" in which she explores and presents traditional dances in a contemporary and innovative way. Her approach and important body of work influenced a change in the visual interpretation of traditional dance in the entire region.
She is credited with photographing over 200 theater productions across Europe. She is one of the leading artists who, with her strong signature style, has been exploring and capturing the life of the theater for 12 years. She has collaborated with the most renowned European directors, choreographers, dancers, and actors.
In 2023, she started working as the program director of the Sarajevo Photography Festival and teaches photography at Algebra University in Zagreb. Jelena is a member of the Space Shuttle art collective in Zagreb.
Her work has been published in renowned publications such as Rolling Stone, National Geographic, Fisheye Magazine, Der Spiegel, Professional Photographer, ELLE, KOSMOS, fotoMAGAZINE, LensCulture, GEO, Vice, F-stop magazine...
She exhibited all over the world from Paris, Moscow, Ciudad de México, Istanbul, Berlin, Tokyo, London, Kuala Lumpur, Tbilisi, Siena, Belgrade, Zagreb... and for her work, she received numerous significant international awards.
Represented by i noor gallery from Stockholm, Sweden
AWARDS
2023
68th Sterijino Pozorje, Silver Medal for theater photography
2021
The FLORIDA MUSEUM of PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS/First Prize, Portraits
2020
Sony World Photography Awards/The winner of the Serbia National Award
2019
IPA, International Photography Awards, New York City
Portrait of Humanity shortlist. (50 winning images),
First Prize KOLGA Tbilisi Photo, Georgia
Golden winner, Tokyo International Photo Award, Japan
2018
Finalist of The Independent Photographer
Bronze Awarded Moscow International Photo Award, Russia
Finalist of KOLGA Tbilisi Photo, Georgia
2017
First Prize of Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest, Russia
First prize and Festival Grand Prix Balkan Photo Awards
Second Prize Siena International Photo Awards, Italy
Silver Awarded Moscow International Photo Awards, Russia
3rd place ND Photography Awards, Londo
3rd Place 5th Eros Awards International Photography and Art Community
Finalist of Travel Photographer Society in the category of MOMENT, Kuala Lumpur
Second Prize International Competition of Contemporary Photography/Rovinj Photo days
Finalist and Winner of Serbia National Award, Sony World Photography Awards
2015
First Prize International Competition of Contemporary Photography/Rovinj Photodays, Croatia
2013
Photographic Angle’s Competition FACES in Great Britain in the category of Portrait.
First prize for art photography at the Night of Museums cultural event for documentary photography, Serbia
2011
FIAP plate of Sterijino Pozorje for Theatre Photography, Serbia
2010
First prize for art photography at the Night of Museums cultural event for documentary photography, Serbia
EXHIBITIONS and FESTIVALS
2024
Solo exhibition, 8th floor,The Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb
Group exhibition, I norr art, Stockholm, Sweden
Group exhibition, Gallery Kranjcar, Zagreb
Group exhibition, Belgrade City Museum
2023
Group exhibition, Gallery Kranjcar, Zagreb
Group exhibition, 68th Sterijino Pozorje, theater in photographic art, Novi Sad
The annual exhibition of the Section of Artistic Photography
of ULUPUDS, Contemporary Art Gallery ŠTAB, Belgrade
Solo exhibition, ZEITGEIST, Santa Maria Gallery, Budva
2022
"Perspectives" Photography Storytelling, PARCEL110, George Town, Cayman Islands
2021
FMoPA, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
PH21 Contemporary Photography Gallery, Body Space, Budapest
BEOAIR/Studio106LA, Awareness Project, Online Exhibition
2020
8th floor, solo exhibition, Botaničar/art gallery, Zagreb
Photography Organisation ORGAN VIDA/Portrait Of Humanity, Zagreb
2019
ImageNation Paris - Paris Photo Off, Galerie Joseph, Paris
Both There and Here, KCB, The Art Gallery, Belgrade
The Independent Photographer, Best of the Year 2018/19, CLB Berlin
Perspectives: Photography Storytelling/Contemporary Balkan Art, Rich Mix, London
Portrait Of Humanity, National Centre For Photography in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Portrait Of Humanity, LagosPhoto Festival in Lagos, Nigeria
Portrait Of Humanity, Louisiana State Museum as part of PhotoNOLA Festival in New Orleans, United States
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Festival, Georgia
Art Gallery, Cultural Centre of Belgrade
Izidor Krsnjava Exhibition Hall, Zagreb
2018
White box gallery, Kuala Lumpur
International Art Photography Festival CIPAF, Zhengzhou, China
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Festival, Georgia
Balkan Trafik Festival, Brussels
May exhibition of ULUPUDS, Belgrade
2017
Sony World Photography Awards, Somerset House, London
Siena International Photo Awards, Siena, Italy
Andrei Stenin International Photo Award, Lumiere Brothers Centre of Photography, Moscow
Balkan photo festival, Embaixada do Porto, Portugal
Balkan photo festival, Embaixada do Porto, Sarajevo
Rovinj Photodays, Rovinj and The Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb
Square, gallery O3on, Belgrade
2016
Gallery Stab, Belgrade
52 weeks, Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb
Gallery Decumanu, Krk, Croatia
Izidor Krsnjava Exhibition Hall, Zagreb
2015
Rovinj Photodays, The Museum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb
Rovinj Photodays, County Museum, Rovinj
2014.
Don't Bother to Knock, New Wave Project, Supermarket Concept Store, Belgrade
2013
Theater in Photographic Art, Sterijino pozorje, Novi Sad
Values, Gallery of the Platon of the Serbian Academy of Sciences, Novi Sad
2012
Bitef, French Cultural Center, Belgrade
Gallery O3ONE, Belgrade
2011
Theatre in Photographic Art, Novi Sad
2010
My Planet, Gallery Cellar, Novi Sad