JUSTINA NEKRASAITE
CULTURAL PRODUCER, CURATOR, PHOTOGRAPHER, PODCAST FOUNDER
Born in Vilnius, 1987
Email: info@thebookphotographer.com
Phone: +31 617 481 879
www.thebookphotographer.com
www.nekrasaite.com
Studio: Heining 3, 1047AZ,
Amsterdam
Amsterdam-based cultural producer, curator and photographer working at the intersection of contemporary book culture, public programming and knowledge preservation.
Founder of The Book Photographer Studio and the podcast Book Making as an Art Form, she develops specialist knowledge into accessible public formats and leads projects from concept and fundraising through partnership-building, production, publication and evaluation.
Professional Practice
2024-present
Book Making as an Art Form: Exploring the Boundaries
Founder, Artistic Director, Curator, Host & Producer
Created and leads an English-language public podcast documenting the people, processes and infrastructures behind contemporary bookmaking.
Season 1 comprised nine live conversations at Huis van het Boek, published as nine episodes in 2025.
By July 2026, five of the nine planned Season 2 conversations had been recorded and published at the Stedelijk Museum Library, with 5-25 attendees per recording. The podcast generated 1,277 Spotify plays between 1 January and 21 July 2026.
Artistic direction, curatorial framework, guest research, interview preparation, hosting, institutional partnerships, fundraising, budget management, team coordination, production, publication and audience development.
The Book Photographer Studio
Founder & Creative Director
Leads a specialist international practice dedicated to photographing books as cultural objects, spanning concept development, art direction, visual storytelling, production and client delivery for publishers, artists, designers and cultural institutions.
Selected commissions:
2025 Best Dutch Book Design catalogue co-creator together with Jeremy Jansen Studio.
Developed and executed the shortlist campaign for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize in May 2026, leading the campaign concept, art direction and photography.
Funding Secured
2025 - Mondriaan Fund Art Media grant awarded to establish and produce Season 1 of Book Making as an Art Form.
2025 - Pictoright Fund awarded for the production of Season 2.
2025 - Voordekunst & Het Cultuurfonds successfully raised a campaign through public crowdfunding, including support from Het Cultuurfonds, for Season 2.
Earlier support Gemeente Amsterdam (2019), Stokroos Foundation (2018) and Ans & Wouters-Hellebrekers Fonds (2014).
Public Programmes & Mentoring
2025-present
Books & Wine: A Taste Salon
Founder, Curator & Host
Created and produced four intimate cultural salons between October 2025 and June 2026, each welcoming 11 guests (44 attendances). Three editions were hosted at the Ambassade Hotel; the April 2026 edition was co-produced with Rebel Wines, which provided the venue, promotion, wine presentation and co-hosting.
2025-2026
Booked for Silence
Host & Facilitator
Hosted and facilitated two three-month blocks of weekly silent-reading gatherings at Het Paleis in partnership with The Bookstore Foundation. Delivered 24 sessions, averaging four readers per session (approximately 96 attendances), and led audience promotion.
April 2025-present
The Book Photographer Mentoring
Founder & Mentor
Founded a one-to-one mentoring programme for creative professionals. Mentored four creatives in professional positioning, portfolio development, creative-business strategy and accountability.
Selected Lectures & Public Engagements
2026 May Guest lecture during the Photobook Festival, Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven
2024 August The Book Photographer, Huis van het Boek, The Hague
2024 June How to Look at Books from a Photographer’s Perspective, Stichting Handboekbinden, The Hague
2018 February Self-Initiatives and Why Knowledge Sharing Is Important, Vilnius Academy of Arts
Selected Curatorial & Artistic Experience
2023 Curator, Sound Experiments: Mainly Electronic
2016-2020 Founder and curator, There Is a Wall to Be Crossed, and I Am the Wall
2018-2019 Co-curator, Wildlife
2014-2017 Artist-curator and Head Floor Manager, Bookstore Space, Amsterdam
Selected Publications, Residency & Exhibitions
Publications. Photography for The Best Dutch Book Designs catalogue, in collaboration with designer Jeremy Jansen (2025);
Building as Opera, n.k.g. publications, edition of 300 (2019).
Residency. Artist in residence, The Bookstore Foundation, Amsterdam (2014-2017; September 2024-present).
Solo exhibitions. Kabinetas Project Space, Kaunas (2016); Bookstore Project Space, Amsterdam (2014).
Group exhibitions. Promises Salon Hang (2023) and 24/7 Salon Hang (2021), Kunstverein Amsterdam.
Education & Professional Development
2025 FEM/START Growth Training - StartupAmsterdam and Rabobank; programme completed, certificate awarded
2019 Autumn School of Curating - Cluj and Timișoara, Romania
2014 Waves masterclasses - Blikwisseling, Radboud University, Nijmegen
2008-2012 BA, Photography and Media Arts - Vilnius Academy of Arts; exchange at Miguel Hernández University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Altea, Spain (2011)