The Prix Pictet (Pictet prize) is an international award in photography. It was founded in 2008 by the Geneva-based Pictet Group with the mandate to use the power of photography to communicate messages about sustainability to a global audience.[1] Its goal is to uncover photography of the highest order, applied to current social and environmental challenges. With the participation of over 4,700 photographers, the prize is judged by an independent jury and carries a prize of 100,000 Swiss francs.

Since 2008 the ten cycles of the Prix Pictet have been shown in more than 100 exhibitions across 25 countries with visitor numbers of over 550,000. The ten Prix Pictet winners are Benoit Aquin, Nadav Kander, Mitch Epstein, Luc Delahaye, Michael Schmidt, Valérie Belin, Richard Mosse, Joana Choumali, Sally Mann and Gauri Gill.

Process

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Entry to the Prix Pictet is by nomination.[2] As of November 2023, there were over 300 Prix Pictet nominators, a group of industry experts from around the world consisting of photographers, gallerists, agency heads, academics, authors, publishers, curators, photography foundations and others. Each nominated photographer is asked to submit a series of up to ten images, coherently defined and focused on the theme of the award.

The Prix Pictet was first awarded in 2008 and operates on a cycle of about 18 months. Past themes have been Water, Earth, Growth, Power, Consumption, Disorder, Space, Hope, Fire and currently Human. From May 2014 the prize has been presented in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and (for two cycles) the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.[3]

The judges do not discriminate between photographs of different genres, or make assumptions about the types of audience for any class of photograph. Judging takes place in two stages - a conference to determine the shortlist, followed by a review of works by the shortlisted artists at an exhibition. Sir David King has been Chairman of the Prix Pictet jury since 2010.

The winner of the Prix Pictet receives a cash prize of CHF 100,000, announced at an opening ceremony of the exhibition of shortlisted artists.

Exhibition

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An exhibition of the shortlisted portfolios for each cycle of the Prix Pictet tours the world, reaching over a dozen countries during the touring period. In this way the Prix Pictet presents the work of the shortlisted photographers, and the sustainability issues they highlight, to a wide international audience.

A book to accompany each cycle of the award is also published, featuring work by each of the shortlisted artists along with images from the wider group of nominees. It also includes essays by established writers on the theme of the prize.

Commission

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For the first five cycles of the award the Prix Pictet ran a commission in association with a charity partner. This project enabled a nominated photographer to visit a specific country or region and create a photography report on a live sustainability issue. Past charity partners have been WaterAid in 2008, SEED Madagascar in 2009, The Tusk Trust in 2011, Medair in 2013 and OneAction in 2015. This commission has been discontinued.

Themes and winners

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Year Theme Winner Also shortlisted Commission


2008 Water[4][5][6] Benoit Aquin [Wikidata], The Chinese "dust bowl"[7][8][9][10] Jesús Abad Colorado, Landscapes and battles; Edward Burtynsky, Oil fields; Thomas Joshua Cooper, The world's edge: The Atlantic basin project; Sebastian Copeland, Antarctica: The global warning; Christian Cravo, Waters of hope, rivers of tears; Lynn Davis, Ice 1988–2007; Carl De Keyzer, Moments before the flood; Reza Deghati, War and peace; Susan Derges, Eden and the observer and the observed; Malcolm Hutcheson, Lahore's waste water problem; Chris Jordan, In Katrina's wake: Portraits of loss from an unnatural disaster; David Maisel, Terminal mirage and the lake project; Mary Mattingly, Second nature; Robert Polidori, After the flood; Roman Signer; Jules Spinatsch, Snow management; Munem Wasif, Water tragedy: Climate refugee of Bangladesh[9][11] Munem Wasif, Salt water tears: Lives left behind in Satkhira, Bangladesh[12][13][14]


2009 Earth Nadav Kander, Yangtze, the long river[15][16][17] Darren Almond, Fullmoon;[18] Christopher Anderson, Capitolio;[19] Sammy Baloji, Memory;[20] Edward Burtynsky, Quarries;[21] Andreas Gursky;[22] Naoya Hatakeyama, Blast;[23] Ed Kashi, Curse of the black gold: 50 Years of oil in the Niger delta;[24] Abbas Kowsari, Shade of earth;[25] Yao Lu, New mountain and water;[26] Edgar Martins, The diminishing present;[27] Chris Steele-Perkins, Mount Fuji[28] Ed Kashi, Madagascar: A land out of balance[29]


2011 Growth[30] Mitch Epstein, American power[31][32][33][34] Christian Als, Kibera: The shadow city;[35] Edward Burtynsky, Oil;[36] Stéphane Couturier [fr], Melting point;[37] Chris Jordan, Midway: Message from the gyre;[38] Yeondoo Jung [Wikidata], Evergreen Tower;[39] Vera Lutter;[40] Nyaba Léon Ouédraogo, The hell of copper;[41] Taryn Simon, An American index of the hidden and unfamiliar;[42] Thomas Struth, Paradise;[43] Guy Tillim, Petros village;[44] Michael Wolf, Architecture of density[45] Chris Jordan, Ushirikiano[46][47]


2012 Power[2][48] Luc Delahaye, various works, 2008–2011[49][50] Robert Adams, Turning back;[51] Daniel Beltrá, Spill;[52] Mohamed Bourouissa, Périphérique;[53] Philippe Chancel, Fukushima: The irresistible power of nature;[54] Edmund Clark, Guantanamo: If the light goes out;[55] Carl De Keyzer, Moments before the flood;[56] Rena Effendi, Still life in the zone;[57] Jacqueline Hassink, Arab domains;[58] An-My Lê, 29 palms;[59] Joel Sternfeld, When it changed;[60] Guy Tillim, Congo Democratic[61][62] Simon Norfolk, Afghanistan[63][64]


2014 Consumption Michael Schmidt, Lebensmittel[65][66][67][68] Adam Bartos, Yard sale;[69] Motoyuki Daifu, Project family;[70] Rineke Dijkstra, Almerisa;[71] Hong Hao, My things;[72] Mishka Henner, Beef and oil;[73] Juan Fernando Herrán, Escalas;[74] Boris Mikhailov, Tea, Coffee and Cappuccino;[75] Abraham Oghobase;[76][77] Allan Sekula, Fish story;[78] Laurie Simmons, The love doll[79]


2015 Disorder[80] Valérie Belin[80] Ilit Azoulay, Imaginary Order; Matthew Brandt, Honeybees; Maxim Dondyuk, Culture of the Confrontation; Alixandra Fazzina, A Million Shillings: Escape from Somalia; Ori Gersht, Blow Up; John Gossage, Should Nature Change; Pieter Hugo, Permanent Error; Gideon Mendel, Drowning World; Sophie Ristelhueber, Eleven Blowups; Brent Stirton, A Violation of Eden; Yang Yongliang, Artificial Wonderland[81]


2016 Space Richard Mosse, Heat Maps[82] Mandy Barker, Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly Known Animals; Saskia Groneberg, Büropflanze; Beate Gütschow, S Series; Rinko Kawauchi, Ametsuchi; Benny Lam, Subdivided Flats; Sohei Nishino, Diorama Map; Sergey Ponomarev, Europe Migration Crisis; Thomas Ruff, ma.r.s; Munem Wasif, Land of Undefined Territory; Pavel Wolberg, Barricades; Michael Wolf, Tokyo Compression[83]


2019 Hope Joana Choumali, Ça va aller (It will be OK)[84] Shahidul Alam, Still She Smiles; Margaret Courtney-Clarke, Cry Sadness into the Coming Rain; Rena Effendi, Transylvania: Built on Grass; Lucas Foglia, Human Nature; Janelle Lynch, Another Way of Looking at Love; Ross McDonnell, Limbs; Gideon Mendel, Damage: A Testament of Faded Memory; Ivor Prickett, End of the Caliphate; Robin Rhode, Principle of Hope,017; Awoiska van der Molen, Im schwarzen Himmelsrund; Alexia Webster, Street Studios - An Archive of the Heart.[85]


2021 Fire Sally Mann, Blackwater


2022 Human Gauri Gill, Notes from the desert


Prix Pictet Japan Award

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Inaugurated in 2015 the Prix Pictet Japan Award celebrates Japanese photographers aged 40 or under whose work carries strong messages on global sustainability. Supported by the Prunier Foundation, this prize was inaugurated in 2015 in recognition of Japan’s status as one of the great centres of world photography. Entry is by nomination and the winner receives a prize of ¥1,000,000.

References

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  1. ^ The Financial Times
  2. ^ a b John Vidal, "The strength of the Prix Pictet is in danger of becoming watered down", The Guardian, 24 October 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  3. ^ Jan Dalley, "Prix Pictet announces fifth cycle and international museum partnership", Financial Times, 3 July 2013. Accessed 2 June 2014.
  4. ^ Jan Dalley, "The first Prix Pictet", Financial Times, 1 November 2008. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 7 May 2010.
  5. ^ Paul Eccleston, "Prix Pictet photography competition shortlist announced", The Telegraph, 12 July 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  6. ^ Benjamin Secher, "The inaugural Prix Pictet: Kofi Annan and the elemental power of the image", The Telegraph, 12 November 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Benoit Aquin: The Chinese 'dust bowl'", Prix Pictet. Accessed 31 May 2014.
  8. ^ "El canadiense Benoit Aquin, premio Pictet al desarrollo sostenible", El Día, 31 October 2008. (in Spanish) Accessed 1 June 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Audio slideshow: Photos compete for the Prix Pictet", BBC.
  10. ^ "Images of China win new photo award", CNN, 3 November 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Water shortlist Archived 2016-09-13 at the Wayback Machine", Prix Pictet. Accessed 31 May 2014.
  12. ^ Angel Gurría-Quintana, "Photography caught amid sea and swamp", Financial Times, 10 March 2009. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 25 November 2009.
  13. ^ Grégoire Brethomé, "Au Bangladesh, la quête quotidienne de l'eau potable", Le Monde, 18 March 2009. (in French). Accessed 1 June 2014.
  14. ^ "Prix Pictet exhibition shows WaterAid's work", Water Aid, 19 February 2009. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 26 February 2009.
  15. ^ "Nadav Kander: Yangtze, the long river", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  16. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Nadav Kander's Yangtze photographs show a people sold down the river", The Guardian, 20 October 2010. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  17. ^ Peter Aspden, "Nadav Kander wins Prix Pictet", Financial Times, 23 October 2009. Accessed 2 June 2014.
  18. ^ "Darren Almond: Fullmoon", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  19. ^ "Christopher Anderson: Capitolio", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  20. ^ "Sami Baloji: Memory", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  21. ^ "Edward Burtynsky: Quarries", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  22. ^ "Andreas Gursky: Body of work", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  23. ^ "Blast", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  24. ^ "Ed Kashi: Curse of the black gold: 50 Years of oil in the Niger delta", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  25. ^ "Abbas Kowsari: Shade of earth", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  26. ^ "Yao Lu: New mountain and water", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  27. ^ "Edgar Martins: The diminishing present", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  28. ^ "Chris Steele-Perkins: Mount Fuji", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  29. ^ "Earth commission", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  30. ^ "III edición del Premio Pictet: Crecimiento", Compromiso Empresarial, November–December 2010. (in Spanish) Accessed 1 June 2014.
  31. ^ "Mitch Epstein: American power", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  32. ^ John Vidal, "The power of nightmares", The Guardian, 3 October 2009. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  33. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Mitch Epstein is a worthy Prix Pictet winner", The Guardian, 18 March 2011. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  34. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Mitch Epstein: American Power; Chris Steele-Perkins: The Pleasure Principle – review", The Guardian, 6 November 2011. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  35. ^ "Christian Als: Kibera: The shadow city", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  36. ^ "Edward Burtynsky: Oil", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  37. ^ "Stéphane Couturier: Melting point", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  38. ^ "Chris Jordan: Midway: Message from the gyre", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  39. ^ "Yeondoo Jung: Evergreen Tower", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  40. ^ "Vera Lutter: Body of work", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  41. ^ "Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo: The hell of copper", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  42. ^ "Taryn Simon: An American index of the hidden and unfamiliar", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  43. ^ "Thomas Struth: Paradise", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  44. ^ "Guy Tillim: Petros village", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  45. ^ "Michael Wolf: Architecture of density", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  46. ^ "Chris Jordan: Ushirikiano", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  47. ^ Katrina Manson, "Prix Pictet commission: Chris Jordan", Financial Times, 7 October 2011. Accessed 2 June 2014.
  48. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Prix Pictet shortlist open the shutters on power", The Guardian, 4 July 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  49. ^ "Luc Delahaye: Various works, 2008–2011", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  50. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Luc Delahaye wins the 2012 Prix Pictet award", The Guardian, 9 October 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  51. ^ "Robert Adams: Turning back", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  52. ^ "Daniel Beltrá: Spill", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  53. ^ "Mohamed Bourouissa: Périphérique", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  54. ^ "Philippe Chancel: Fukushima: The irresistible power of nature", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  55. ^ "Edmund Clark: Guantanamo: If the light goes out", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  56. ^ "Carl De Keyzer: Moments before the flood", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  57. ^ "Rena Effendi: Still life in the zone", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  58. ^ "Jacqueline Hassink, Arab domains", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  59. ^ "An-My Lê: 29 palms", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  60. ^ "Joel Sternfeld: When it changed", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  61. ^ "Guy Tillim: Congo Democratic", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  62. ^ "Power: Prix Pictet 2012 Shortlist" LensCulture. Archived by the Wayback machine on 3 February 2014.
  63. ^ "Power commission", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  64. ^ Simon Norfolk, "Prix Pictet: Simon Norfolk in Afghanistan", Financial Times, 28 June 2013. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  65. ^ "Michael Schmidt: Lebensmittel", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  66. ^ Sean O'Hagan, "Michael Schmidt wins Prix Pictet for sprawling global food series", The Guardian, 21 May 2014. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  67. ^ Mark Brown, "Source-to-table food project takes Prix Pictet photography prize", The Guardian, 21 May 2014. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  68. ^ James Pickford, "Food for thought: Michael Schmidt scoops photography prize", Financial Times, 21 May 2014. Accessed 2 June 2014.
  69. ^ "Adam Bartos: Yard sale", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  70. ^ "Motoyuki Daifu: Project family", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  71. ^ "Rineke Dijkstra: Almerisa", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  72. ^ "Hong Hao: My things", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  73. ^ "Mishka Henner: Beef and oil", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  74. ^ "Juan Fernando Herrán: Escalas", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  75. ^ "Boris Mikhailov: Tea, Coffee and Cappuccino", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  76. ^ "Abraham Oghobase: Untitled 2012", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  77. ^ Peter Aspden, "So much for cultural openness", Financial Times, 23 May 2014. Accessed 2 June 2014.
  78. ^ "Allan Sekula: Fish story", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  79. ^ "Laurie Simmons: The love doll", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
  80. ^ a b "Portfolios: Disorder". Prix Pictet. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  81. ^ "Disorder Portfolios", Prix Pictet. Accessed 18 September 2017.
  82. ^ "Prix Pictet 2017: Richard Mosse wins prize with heat-map shots of refugees". The Guardian, 4 May 2017. Accessed 5 May 2017
  83. ^ "Space Shortlist", Prix Pictet. Accessed 18 September 2017.
  84. ^ O’Hagan, Sean (13 November 2019). "Joana Choumali wins 2019 Prix Prictet photography prize". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-11-13 – via www.theguardian.com.
  85. ^ Guardian Staff (5 July 2019). "Prix Pictet 2019 shortlist – photo essay". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-11-13 – via www.theguardian.com.
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  NODES
Association 1
INTERN 3
Note 2
Project 6