The theme of the fourth cycle of the Prix Pictet is Power, which as a theme, has great creative reach. Power embraces contradiction and paradox in equal measure. The same forces that result in disaster and despair can also generate hope and renewal. Advances in technology to generate renewable energy mean that the powers of the wind, the sea and the sun can now be converted into sustainable forms of energy. The winner of this year’s Prix Pictet was announced last night at the Saatchi Gallery and was presented to Luc Delahaye for his photography which covered a range of locations from Gaza to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The exhibition will now be on public display from 10 – 28 October. The show features the work of the 12 shortlisted finalists, Robert Adams (United States), Daniel Beltrá (Spain/United States), Mohamed Bourouissa(Algeria/France), Philippe Chancel (France), Edmund Clark(United Kingdom), Carl De Keyzer (Belgium), Luc Delahaye(France), Rena Effendi (Azerbaijan), Jacqueline Hassink(Netherlands), An-My Lê (United States/Vietnam), Joel Sternfeld (United States) and Guy Tillim (South Africa). After London the show will begin a global tour that begins with exhibitions in Munich, Paris, Beirut and Istanbul and ends in 2014 with an exhibition at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) San Diego.
Founded by the leading Swiss private bank Pictet & Cie in 2008, the Prix Pictet has rapidly established itself as the world’s leading prize in photography and sustainability. The award has a global audience of over 400 million. It aims to uncover outstanding photography applied to confront the most pressing social and environmental challenges of today. The Prix Pictet has two elements: the prize of CHF 100,000 and the Commission, in which a nominated photographer is invited to undertake a field trip to a region where the Bank is supporting a sustainability project.