Thursday’s Child and Trunk Archive Partner for Platform to Foster Diverse Talent
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To try to introduce work by diverse and emerging artists from all over the globe, Thursday’s Child and Trunk Archive have a new licensing partnership.
Through the deal, the #ThursdaysChild x Trunk Archive platform launched today. More than 4,000 images are available for editorial and commercial use, and that base number will be built upon. Work from up-and-comers, who are primarily between the ages of 16 and 35, is housed on the platform with the aim of connecting them with international brands and media outlets.
All of the talent is selected by a jury. Artists can register for free and can take part in a curation process that involves an in-house team and outside authorities from the industry. Along with the amped-up exposure for artists, the platform will have a rotating roster that is meant to give brands and art buyers reason to return on a regular basis.
Unveiled in late 2018 by its sister company Shoot Europe, Thursday’s Child is meant to be a gateway for unrepresented young diverse talent to leading brands. Nike, Converse, Tommy Hilfiger and Martin Margiela are among the companies that have taken notice and commissioned artists from the platform for recent campaigns and editorial and commercial use.
Given the financial toll that the pandemic shutdown has had on the fashion industry and the restrictions still in place in certain areas, the new image licensing partnership is expected to have added appeal as companies and media outlets grapple with smaller marketing budgets and greater safety guidelines. As a full-service licensing agency, Trunk Archive represents some heavy hitters in the world of photography including Inez & Vinoodh, David Sims, Annie Leibovitz, Ethan James Green and Ellen von Unwerth. The #ThursdaysChild collection “perfectly complements” Trunk Archive’s existing archive of beauty, fashion, portrait, lifestyle, portrait and celebrity imagery, according to managing director Thomas Sleuser. He said, “Clients are craving authentic and diverse imagery to create the content that accurately reflects how we see the world today and tomorrow.”
Imraan Christian of Cape Town, George Jasper Stone of London, Laerke Rose Møllegaard, of New York, Julia Marino of Amsterdam, Puzzleman Leung of Taipei and Sylvie Weber of Berlin are among the fresh talent that is being showcased by Thursday’s Child.
With the fallout from the coronavirus shutdown and the momentum behind the Black Lives Matter movement changing some of the old ways of working, Thursday’s Child is trying to help change the creative class with its new platform. Once artists are commissioned for a project, Thursday’s Child can help them by providing full or partial production, and negotiate fees and usage rights.
To raise awareness about the largely undiscovered talent, Thursday’s Child has created a series of interviews that have been organized by its first guest curator, Dazed magazine’s arts and culture editor Ashleigh Kane. Moving ahead, Thursday’s Child and Trunk Archive will set up mentorships, exhibitions and events to foster the next generation of creatives.
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