PhEST – International Festival of Photography and Art

PhEST 2025: ten years between Earth and the cosmos

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, PhEST chose a broad theme: "THIS IS US – A Capsule to Space", inspired by the Golden Record, the gold-plated disc containing sounds and images of Earth launched by NASA in 1977 aboard the Voyager probes. A journey both spatial and interior, to question who we are and how we tell the story of humanity.

The festival featured over 30 exhibitions distributed throughout the historic center of Monopoli, with the San Leonardo Monastery newly reopened as the main venue, alongside the Carlo V Castle, the Church of Sant'Angelo in Borgo, the Church of San Salvatore, Casa Santa, the Old Port, and the Molo Margherita. International guests included the famous Los Caprichos by Francisco Goya, a photographic preview by director Yorgos Lanthimos, and works by Martin Parr, Sam Youkilis, Aleksandra Mir, Gregg Segal, and Deanna Dikeman, alongside numerous Italian artists.

The theme

"THIS IS US – A Capsule to Space": a reflection on human identity inspired by NASA's Golden Record.

Venues

• San Leonardo Monastery (main venue, newly reopened)
• Carlo V Castle
• Church of Sant'Angelo in Borgo and Church of San Salvatore
• Casa Santa and Stalle di Casa Santa
• Old Port and Molo Margherita

Artists

Among the protagonists: Francisco Goya with Los Caprichos, Yorgos Lanthimos in an exclusive preview, Martin Parr, Sam Youkilis, Aleksandra Mir, Gregg Segal, Deanna Dikeman, José Angelino, Pietro Terzini, and many other Italian and international artists.