Trevor Paglen wins the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2016

Trevor Paglen has been awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2016 in London on Thursday night at a special ceremony in the Photographers’ Gallery. The annual award comes with a prize money of 30,000 GBP and recognizes a photographer who has made an important contribution to contemporary photography in Europe in the previous twelve months.

Paglen won for his exhibition “The Octopus” at Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt, Germany (20 June - 30 August 2015). Paglen’s project aims to represent complex topics like mass surveillance, data collection, classified satellite and drone activities and the systems of power connected to them. Paglen’s installation comprise images of restricted military and government areas, skylines showing the flight tracks of passing drones, sculptural elements and research assembled in collaboration with scientist, amateur astronomers and human rights activists. Through his work Paglen demonstrates that secrets cannot be hidden from view, but that their traces and structures are visible evidence in the landscape.

The other shortlisted artists for the Deutsche Börse Photography FoundationPrize 2016, each awarded 3,000 GBP, are: Laura El-Tantawy, Erik Kessels and Tobias Zielony.

Brett Rogers, non-voting Chair of the Jury and Director of The Photographers’ Gallery said, on behalf of the jury: “The jury recognised Trevor Paglen’s project The Octopus for its significant contribution to current issues that deal with the disquieting impact of the unseen aspects of technology on our daily lives. They acknowledged the depth of research and variety of approaches he has developed to deal with subjects ranging from government and military surveillance to drone warfare. He successfully transforms these invisible means of control into compelling aesthetic objects and photographs, often referencing modernist paintings.”
Anne-Marie Beckmann, Director, Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation said: "We congratulate the winner of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2016, Trevor Paglen. It is our great pleasure to continue the long term-commitment to the Prize and our engagement in promoting contemporary photography with the newly established Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation. We are delighted to present one of the most renowned photography prize under its new title.”

The artists were chosen by jury members David Drake, Director Ffotogallery, Cardiff; Alfredo Jaar, Artist; Wim van Sinderen, Senior Curator at The Hague Museum of Photography; Anne-Marie Beckmann, Curator Art Collection Deutsche Börse and Brett Rogers, Director, The Photographers’ Gallery, as the non-voting chair.
The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2016 is on display at The Photographers’ Gallery until 3July 2016. It will be followed by a presentation at the Deutsche Börse headquarters, The Cube, in Frankfurt/Eschborn from 2 September to 28 October 2016.

Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation
“Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation”, a Frankfurt-based non-profit foundation, promotes contemporary photography. The foundation activities focus on collection, exhibition and promotion. For instance, one of the key aims of the foundation is to expand the Art Collection Deutsche Börse. Deutsche Börse began to build up its collection of contemporary photography in 1999. Art Collection Deutsche Börse now comprises more than 1,600 works by over 100 international artists. The collection and a changing exhibition programme are open to the public. The Photography Prize is a key project of the foundation. It is awarded in cooperation with the Photographers' Gallery London and will be presented this year under the new name Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. Other focal points include promoting new talent, supporting exhibition projects of international museums and institutions, and the expansion of platforms for academic discussion about the medium.

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. 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.

The Photography Prize History
Founded in 1996 by The Photographers’ Gallery, and now in its eighteenth 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. With the newly established Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, the Prize will be awarded this year under its new name, Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize. Winners of the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2015 were Mikhael Subotzky and Patrick Waterhouse for their publication Ponte City (Steidl, 2014). Past winners include Paul Graham, Juergen Teller, Rineke Dijkstra, Richard Billingham and John Stezaker.