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.The Financial Times 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 Entry to the Prix Pictet is by nomination.John Vidal, "The strength of the Prix Pictet is in danger of becoming watered down", The Guardian, 24 October 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014. 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.Jan Dalley, "Prix Pictet announces fifth cycle and international museum partnership", Financial Times, 3 July 2013. Accessed 2 June 2014.
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 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 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
Year Theme Winner Also shortlisted Commission
2008 WaterJan Dalley, "The first Prix Pictet", Financial Times, 1 November 2008. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 7 May 2010.Paul Eccleston, "Prix Pictet photography competition shortlist announced", The Telegraph, 12 July 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014.Benjamin Secher, "The inaugural Prix Pictet: Kofi Annan and the elemental power of the image", The Telegraph, 12 November 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014. , The Chinese "dust bowl""Benoit Aquin: The Chinese 'dust bowl'", Prix Pictet. Accessed 31 May 2014."El canadiense Benoit Aquin, premio Pictet al desarrollo sostenible", El Día, 31 October 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014."Audio slideshow: Photos compete for the Prix Pictet", BBC."Images of China win new photo award", CNN, 3 November 2008. Accessed 1 June 2014. 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"Water shortlist ", Prix Pictet. Accessed 31 May 2014. Munem Wasif, Salt water tears: Lives left behind in Satkhira, BangladeshAngel Gurría-Quintana, "Photography caught amid sea and swamp", Financial Times, 10 March 2009. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 25 November 2009.Grégoire Brethomé, "Au Bangladesh, la quête quotidienne de l'eau potable", Le Monde, 18 March 2009. . Accessed 1 June 2014."Prix Pictet exhibition shows WaterAid's work", Water Aid, 19 February 2009. Archived by the Wayback Machine on 26 February 2009.
2009 Earth Nadav Kander, Yangtze, the long river"Nadav Kander: Yangtze, the long river", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.Sean O'Hagan, "Nadav Kander's Yangtze photographs show a people sold down the river", The Guardian, 20 October 2010. Accessed 1 June 2014.Peter Aspden, "Nadav Kander wins Prix Pictet", Financial Times, 23 October 2009. Accessed 2 June 2014. Darren Almond, Fullmoon;"Darren Almond: Fullmoon", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Christopher Anderson, Capitolio;"Christopher Anderson: Capitolio", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Sammy Baloji, Memory;"Sami Baloji: Memory", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Edward Burtynsky, Quarries;"Edward Burtynsky: Quarries", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Andreas Gursky;"Andreas Gursky: Body of work", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Naoya Hatakeyama, Blast;"Blast", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Ed Kashi, Curse of the black gold: 50 Years of oil in the Niger delta;"Ed Kashi: Curse of the black gold: 50 Years of oil in the Niger delta", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Abbas Kowsari, Shade of earth;"Abbas Kowsari: Shade of earth", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Yao Lu, New mountain and water;"Yao Lu: New mountain and water", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Edgar Martins, The diminishing present;"Edgar Martins: The diminishing present", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Chris Steele-Perkins, Mount Fuji"Chris Steele-Perkins: Mount Fuji", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Ed Kashi, Madagascar: A land out of balance"Earth commission", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.
2011 Growth"III edición del Premio Pictet: Crecimiento", Compromiso Empresarial, November–December 2010. Accessed 1 June 2014. Mitch Epstein, American power"Mitch Epstein: American power", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.John Vidal, "The power of nightmares", The Guardian, 3 October 2009. Accessed 1 June 2014.Sean O'Hagan, "Mitch Epstein is a worthy Prix Pictet winner", The Guardian, 18 March 2011. Accessed 1 June 2014.Sean O'Hagan, "Mitch Epstein: American Power; Chris Steele-Perkins: The Pleasure Principle – review", The Guardian, 6 November 2011. Accessed 1 June 2014. Christian Als, Kibera: The shadow city;"Christian Als: Kibera: The shadow city", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Edward Burtynsky, Oil;"Edward Burtynsky: Oil", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. , Melting point;"Stéphane Couturier: Melting point", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Chris Jordan, Midway: Message from the gyre;"Chris Jordan: Midway: Message from the gyre", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. , Evergreen Tower;"Yeondoo Jung: Evergreen Tower", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Vera Lutter;"Vera Lutter: Body of work", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Nyaba Léon Ouédraogo, The hell of copper;"Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo: The hell of copper", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Taryn Simon, An American index of the hidden and unfamiliar;"Taryn Simon: An American index of the hidden and unfamiliar", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Thomas Struth, Paradise;"Thomas Struth: Paradise", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Guy Tillim, Petros village;"Guy Tillim: Petros village", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Michael Wolf, Architecture of density"Michael Wolf: Architecture of density", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Chris Jordan, Ushirikiano"Chris Jordan: Ushirikiano", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.Katrina Manson, "Prix Pictet commission: Chris Jordan", Financial Times, 7 October 2011. Accessed 2 June 2014.
2012 PowerSean O'Hagan, "Prix Pictet shortlist open the shutters on power", The Guardian, 4 July 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014. Luc Delahaye, various works, 2008–2011"Luc Delahaye: Various works, 2008–2011", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.Sean O'Hagan, "Luc Delahaye wins the 2012 Prix Pictet award", The Guardian, 9 October 2012. Accessed 1 June 2014. Robert Adams, Turning back;"Robert Adams: Turning back", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Daniel Beltrá, Spill;"Daniel Beltrá: Spill", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Mohamed Bourouissa, Périphérique;"Mohamed Bourouissa: Périphérique", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Philippe Chancel, Fukushima: The irresistible power of nature;"Philippe Chancel: Fukushima: The irresistible power of nature", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Edmund Clark, Guantanamo: If the light goes out;"Edmund Clark: Guantanamo: If the light goes out", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Carl De Keyzer, Moments before the flood;"Carl De Keyzer: Moments before the flood", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Rena Effendi, Still life in the zone;"Rena Effendi: Still life in the zone", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Jacqueline Hassink, Arab domains;"Jacqueline Hassink, Arab domains", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. An-My Lê, 29 palms;"An-My Lê: 29 palms", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Joel Sternfeld, When it changed;"Joel Sternfeld: When it changed", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014. Guy Tillim, Congo Democratic"Guy Tillim: Congo Democratic", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014."Power: Prix Pictet 2012 Shortlist" LensCulture. Archived by the Wayback machine on 3 February 2014. Simon Norfolk, Afghanistan"Power commission", Prix Pictet. Accessed 1 June 2014.Simon Norfolk, "Prix Pictet: Simon Norfolk in Afghanistan", Financial Times, 28 June 2013. Accessed 1 June 2014.