Gemma Carly Pepper lives and works in the Zurich Oberland, Switzerland. At the heart of her artistic practice are found photographs, which she rescues from oblivion and recontextualises. Through the interplay of photography, thread and textile elements, she explores questions of identity, memory, family history and intergenerational trauma. Her work moves between preservation and transformation, the visible and the hidden, opening up a space in which personal and collective memories can be revisited and reinterpreted.
Her artistic education includes Fine Art Photography at Llandrillo College in North Wales and the University of Derby in England, followed by a Master of Arts in Art Education, specialising in Curatorial Studies, at Zurich University of the Arts (2021).
Her work has been exhibited at internationally recognised photography fairs and events, including Photo Basel, Paris Photo, Photo London and AIPAD New York, and is held in public and private collections.
Gallery Representation
Galerie Esther Woerdehoff, Paris / Geneva
Le Pleiadi Arte, Milan
Awards and Residencies
2026
Honourable Mention Monovisions Award
Art Residency, Lilly Keller Foundation, Thusis, Switzerland
2025
Finalist Head On Photography Award
Nominated for Siena Creative Photography Award
Nominated for Refocus Award
Nominated for Hellerau Portrait Photography Award
2024
Honourable Mention Fine Art Photography Award
2023
Shortlisted Photoville4600 by Fujifilm Awards, Photofestival Olten
Honourable Mention Annual Photography Award
2022
Elles x Paris Photo Award
Winner Vienna International Photography Award - Free Subject
Shortlisted International Photography Award - One Shot Colour
Shortlisted Lucie Foundation, Carte Blanche - Object Category
Shortlisted Fine Art Photography Awards - Open Theme
Shortlisted Sony World Photography Organisation - Creative Category
Honourable Mention ND Awards - Special Open Theme
Until 2021
Winner Emerging Photographer Award - Feature Shoot
Shortlisted Bolton Art Prize
Shortlisted Brighton Student Art Prize
Shortlisted Neo Art Prize
Winner Community Foundation Award Derby
Winner Museum of Derby Award