Stephanie Schwiederek is an American multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans photography, moving image, writing, and poetry. Raised in a motel in Pine Brook, New Jersey—a transient space marked by instability—her upbringing deeply informs her work. Through themes of belonging, identity, memory, trauma, archive and family dynamics, Schwiederek explores the intersections of violence and intimacy, dysfunction and acceptance, resignation and resilience. Her image making blends elements of documentary, portraiture, and performance.
Her first independent documentary film, Leave Nothing Behind, was showcased at the New Jersey International Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in her career as an emerging artist. Currently, she is in the process of developing a photobook and was an attendee at the 2025 Chico Review, the country’s premier Photobook Retreat.
Schwiederek earned her BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2018, where she was awarded the Brovero Photography Prize. She completed her MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2020. Her work has been exhibited domestically and internationally.
Based in New Jersey, where she was born and raised, Schwiederek serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Photography Technology program within the Design & Media Studies Department at the County College of Morris.
For commissions, collaborations, or mentorships contact: stephanieschwiederek@gmail.com