Jim Goldberg wins “Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2011”

The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2011 was announced in London on Tuesday, 26 April 2011 when the broadcaster and critic Miranda Sawyer presented the GBP 30,000 award at a special ceremony to the photographer Jim Goldberg. The annual award recognises a photographer who has made an important contribution to contemporary photography in Europe in the previous 12 months.

Jim Goldberg (b. 1953, USA) has been nominated for his exhibition Open See at The Photographers’ Gallery, London (16 October 2009 – 31 January 2010). Initiated through a Magnum commission, Open See documents the experiences of refugee, immigrant and trafficked populations who travel from war torn, socially and economically devastated countries to make new lives in Europe. Fusing Polaroids, video, written text, ephemera and large and medium format photographs (taken in places as varied as Iraq, Bangladesh, China, The Balkans and Congo), Goldberg uses his varied and experimental approach to photographic storytelling to reflect on issues of migration and the conditions for desiring escape.

This year’s prize winner was chosen from four finalists by an international jury whose membership changes annually and which was headed by Brett Rogers, director of The Photographers’ Gallery. The members of this year’s jury were:

Alex Farquharson (director, Nottingham Contemporary, Great Britain), Marloes Krijnen (founding director, Foam_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands), Joel Sternfeld (artist, USA) and Anne-Marie Beckmann (curator, Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany).

The remaining finalists for this year’s prize Thomas Demand (b. 1964, Germany), Roe Ethridge (b. 1969, USA) and Elad Lassry (b. 1977, Israel) were each awarded GBP 3,000.

Brett Rogers said, on behalf of the Jury: ‘Due to the breadth of the Award criteria, the Jury felt that any one of the four nominees could have been the winner. They however awarded the Prize to Jim Goldberg for Open See, acclaiming its timely and inventive approach to documentary practice, at the heart of which lies for him co-authorship, a form of creative collaboration allowing these individuals to tell their own stories.’

“The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize has once again succeeded in bringing together the most important and interesting representatives of the European photographic scene. We are exceptionally pleased to announce Jim Goldberg as this year’s winner of this prestigious prize. Our congratulations and thanks to all those who have contributed – The Photographers’ Gallery staff, the Academy, the Jury and the artists for their engagement and contribution,” said Julia Taeschner, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Börse.

Deutsche Börse has been main sponsor of this renowned photographic prize since 2005. It was set up by The Photographers’ Gallery in London in 1996 with the aim of promoting the best works of contemporary photography. The primary focus is on promoting young talent and recognising excellent examples of international photographic art. The previous winners of the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize are: Sophie Ristelhueber (2010) Paul Graham (2009), Esko Männikö (2008), Walid Raad/ the Atlas Group (2007), Robert Adams (2006) and Luc Delahaye (2005).

The four finalists’ works can be viewed in London until 1 May at Ambika P3, University of Westminster. The works will then be exhibited from 13 May to 26 June at C/O Berlin in the Altes Postfuhramt.

Further information:

Deutsche Börse Group is one of the world's leading stock exchanges and also one of the most important sponsors of photographic art. Art Collection Deutsche Börse comprises over 800 predominantly large-format works by around 80 international artists. The artwork is exhibited in the Group’s main locations in Eschborn and Luxembourg. The Group’s new headquarters in Eschborn hosts regular guided tours of the collection. Deutsche Börse also houses temporary exhibitions, providing young photographic artists, in particular, with a platform. The company supports exhibition projects, international museums and institutions. Further information about Deutsche Börse Group and its collection can be found at deutsche-boerse.com/art.