Raquel Villar-Pérez is the recipient of the first international Curatorial Fellowship of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation. Villar-Pérez is an independent researcher, writer, and curator of photography based in the UK. Her work focuses on image-makers whose practice engages with migration, transnational feminisms, and social and environmental justice through decolonial and expansive approaches. She has collaborated with international art institutions and publishes widely in leading photography and art journals. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the Edinburgh College of Art.

As of spring 2026, Villar-Pérez is engaging intensively with the Art Collection Deutsche Börse. The aim is to identify narratives and thematic focal points within the collection, building on these to formulate a detailed exhibition concept. Furthermore, she will develop proposals for new acquisitions that will complement and enrich the planned exhibition and the collection by introducing new perspectives. The thematic exhibition, jointly curated with the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, will be shown at the Foundation’s premises in Eschborn, near Frankfurt, in spring 2028, and will subsequently tour to another European photography institution.

With this initiative, the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation is strengthening its commitment to curatorial practice in contemporary photography, as well as to international professional exchange. Building on the collaboration with Mariama Attah as Associate Curator in 2023/2024, the new programme offers mid-career curators an exciting opportunity to further develop their curatorial practice through engagement with a significant collection of contemporary photography. The aim of the two-year programme is to develop an exhibition featuring works from the Art Collection Deutsche Börse and to expand the collection with new artistic perspectives.

In cooperation with “Der Greif”, we are promoting emerging talent in contemporary photography. To this end, in 2025/2026, we will support the “Guest Rooms” format, a series of monthly online exhibitions curated by renowned experts in the field of contemporary photography. These digital exhibitions will provide an opportunity for young artists to showcase their work to an international audience.

“Der Greif” is an award-winning contemporary photography platform committed to breaking down barriers and making the art world more accessible to young artists worldwide by showcasing a variety of perspectives. “Der Greif” increases the visibility of young photographers through various online formats, in the form of scholarships and community events, and by enabling them to network with experts and curators. An annual print edition is also published in collaboration with renowned contemporary artists who act as guest editors.