Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2014 shortlist announced

The four artists shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2014 are Alberto García-Alix, Jochen Lempert, Richard Mosse and Lorna Simpson. The winner will be announced at a special ceremony at The Photographers’ Gallery on 12 May 2014. Works by the shortlisted photographers will be shown in an exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery followed by its presentation at the Deutsche Börse headquarters in Frankfurt/Eschborn.

The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2014 is presented by The Photographers’ Gallery, London. The annual award of £30,000 rewards a living photographer, of any nationality, for a specific body of work in an exhibition or publication format, which has significantly contributed to photography in Europe between 1 October 2012 and 30 September 2013.

The four shortlisted artists have been nominated for the following projects:

Alberto García-Alix (b. 1956, Spain) is nominated for his publication Autorretrato/Selfportrait, La Fabrica Editorial (2013).

Jochen Lempert (b. 1958, Germany) is nominated for his exhibition Jochen Lempert at Hamburger Kunsthalle (22 June – 29 September 2013).

Richard Mosse (b.1980, Ireland) is nominated for his exhibition The Enclave at Venice Biennale, Irish Pavilion (1 June – 24 November 2013).

Lorna Simpson (b. 1960, USA) is nominated for her exhibition Lorna Simpson (Retrospective) at Jeu de Paume, Paris (28 May – 1 September 2013).

The members of the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2014 jury are: Kate Bush, Curator; Jitka Hanzlová, Artist; Thomas Seelig, Director/Curator, Fotomuseum Winterthur; and Anne-Marie Beckmann, Curator, Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany. Brett Rogers, Director of The Photographers’ Gallery, is the non-voting Chair.

Brett Rogers, Director of The Photographers’ Gallery and Chair of the Jury said: “Each of this year’s nominees proposes compelling new ways to expand our thinking about the medium. Image and text underpin Lorna Simpson’s unique approach to interrogating gender and identity, whilst for García-Alix, the camera becomes an extension of his psyche – ‘a way of seeing which is a way of being’. In drawing our attention to anthropomorphism, Jochen Lempert combines the precision of a scientist with the lyricism of a poet. For Richard Mosse, discontinued military surveillance film provides both the medium and the message, transforming the horror and brutality of war into a surreal form of documentary.”

Frank Klaas, Managing Director Global Public Affairs, Deutsche Börse said: “This year’s shortlist once again shows the vitality and broad variety of approaches to contemporary photography. We are impressed by the jury’s excellent selection and very much look forward to the 2014 exhibition– especially as it marks our 10th anniversary as sponsor of Europe’s most renowned photography prize.”

Notes for the editors

The Photographers’ Gallery

The Photographers’ Gallery opened in 1971 in Great Newport Street, London, as the UK’s first independent gallery devoted to photography. It was the first public gallery in the UK to exhibit many key names in international photography, including Juergen Teller, Robert Capa, Sebastião Salgado and Andreas Gursky. The Gallery has also been instrumental in establishing contemporary British photographers, including Martin Parr and Corinne Day. In 2009, the Gallery moved to 16 – 18 Ramillies Street in Soho, the first stage in its plan to create a 21st century home for photography. Following an eighteen month long redevelopment project, the Gallery reopened to the public in 2012. The success of The Photographers’ Gallery over the past four decades has helped to establish photography as a recognised art form, introducing new audiences to photography and championing its place at the heart of visual culture.

Deutsche Börse

Deutsche Börse Group is one of the world’s leading exchange organisations and – as part of its Corporate Responsibility approach – one of the most important promoters of photographic art. The Group has been collecting contemporary photography since 1999. The Art Collection Deutsche Börse comprises more than 1,000 works by approximately 90 international artists. The works are exhibited at the company’s main locations in Eschborn/Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Prague and Zurich. The company also supports exhibition projects of international museums and institutions.

The Photography Prize History

Founded in 1996 by The Photographers’ Gallery, and now in its seventeenth year, the Prize has become one of the most prestigious international arts awards and has launched and established the careers of many photographers over the years. Previously known as the Citigroup Photography Prize, the Gallery has been collaborating with Deutsche Börse Group as title sponsors since 2005. Winners of the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2013 were Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin for their publication War Primer (2012, MACK). Other past winners include Paul Graham, Juergen Teller, Rineke Dijkstra, Richard Billingham and John Stezaker.