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Corrupting the Image with Andie Riekstina
Objectives and Benefits
Rethink the Photographic Medium: Challenge traditional perceptions of photography by exploring its potential as a mutable and experimental medium. Through hands-on experiments, you will critically reflect on the nature of photographic truth and the mutability of images, testing the limits of photography as a mechanical reproduction of reality.
Develop a Conceptual Understanding: You will engage in hands-on experimentation using a range of digital tools and analog practices. This will help you develop a conceptual understanding of image manipulation through processes that bend, break, corrupt, glitch, and recontextualize visual data.
Unlock New Creative Approaches: By prioritizing creative exploration over predictable results, you will unlock new visual and conceptual approaches in your photographic practice. The workshop will empower you to see photography as a raw, malleable object and a dynamic art form.
Target Participants
This workshop is ideal for a diverse group of creatives, including:
Artists interested in exploring experimental image-making.
Photographers seeking to expand beyond traditional methods of a capturing reality.
Students and creatives curious about data manipulation and the intersections of digital and analog art.
The class size is limited to 7 participants to ensure a hands-on, supportive, and engaging environment.
Language of Instruction
The main language of instruction for this workshop is English. The mentor can also teach in German, Latvian, and Russian, and welcomes participants who are comfortable communicating in these languages. Participants are welcome to use AI translation tools (such as Google Translate) to assist them with communication during the session.
Schedule
This workshop will be held during the Ephemere Photo Fest at Gallery Conceal Shibuya in Tokyo.
Date: Thursday, October 2nd, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The session is scheduled for six hours and includes a one-hour break, with an open-ended Q&A session at the conclusion. We kindly advise all participants to eat lunch or brunch before attending the workshop.
Workshop Fees
The workshop fee is $50 (or ¥7,000) per participant.
Application and Refund Policy:
Application Deadline: Applications for this workshop will be accepted until September 30th.
Payment & Selection: Your application is considered complete upon receipt of the full payment. In the event we receive more applications than available spots, we will conduct a selection process. If your application is not selected, you will receive a 100% refund.
Cancellations (for selected participants):
Cancellations made one month or more before the workshop date will receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations made less than one month before the workshop date are non-refundable.
Required Equipment & Materials
Each photographer will need to bring a smartphone and a laptop for the workshop. A list of free, open-source software will be provided to participants closer to the workshop date. All other necessary materials will be provided by the mentor.
Workshop Overview
Pre-Workshop: All applications and payments must be submitted by the deadline of September 30th. One week before the workshop, participants will submit a project idea they wish to explore. Andie will review the submission and provide guidance on the trajectory of the project and the necessary tools.
During the Workshop: The session begins with an introduction to Andie’s practice and experimental methods. Participants will share their backgrounds before diving into a series of hands-on exercises, including data bending and digital degradation. The session concludes with informal presentations and a group discussion.
Post-Workshop: There will be a potential opportunity for participants to present their work created during the workshop at the Ephemere Photo Fest. This will be subject to the availability of the participants and the flow of the festival's public programming.
About the Mentor: Andie Riekstina
Artistic Philosophy & Style: Andie Riekstina is a visual artist whose work spans analog, experimental, and digital photography and video. Her practice is defined by a strong foundation in contemporary photography and a desire to break the rules and push the limits. Her visual style is all about prioritizing the creative process over a predictable outcome.
Teaching & Professional Experience: Andie offers practical, hands-on guidance in a supportive environment, drawing from her experience giving workshops on experimental analog practices like large format photography and Polaroid emulsion lifting. Her work has been exhibited internationally and supported by artist residencies, including her current residency at Shangyuan Art Museum in Beijing.
Dedication to the Medium: As an artist who consistently questions traditional notions of image-making, Andie is committed to fostering a new generation of creatives. Her teaching practice is dedicated to helping participants explore photography as a dynamic and malleable medium, empowering them to discover their own unique experimental approaches.
Works by Andie Riekstina
Contact Us
If you have any questions or need further information before submitting your application, please feel free to email us at workshops@ephemere.tokyo.