Mitch Epstein wins £65,000 in latest Prix Pictet
From the series American Power, ©Mitch Epstein
Photographer Mitch Epstein has won the third Prix Pictet award, which comes with a £65,000 grant, for his work on American Power
Author: Tina Remiz
17 Mar 2011 Tags: AwardPrix pictet
Mitch Epstein received the prestigious Prix Pictet award from the hands of former United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan at a high-profile ceremony held in Paris on 17 March.
The prize is awarded for the most successful use of photography to tackle social and environmental issues and comes with a £65,000 (CHF 100,000) grant. Now in its third year, Prix Pictet 2010 focused around the theme of "growth".
American photographer and filmmaker, Epstein was commissioned to document an erasure of a small town in Ohio back in 2003, after the American Electric Power company bought the town. He recalls: "I was not the same after the trip," which inspired Epstein to embark on a five-year-long, twenty-five-state project to examine the role of energy in the United States. "Growth no longer meant progress but self-destruction," he adds, and his project is a response to "the American Dream gone awry."
The Prix Pictet jury is made up of "eight photographic experts" from the worlds of art and environmental activism. Epstein was selected from more than 450 entrants, alongside seven other nominees - Christian Als, Edward Burtynsky, Stéphane Couturier, Yeondoo Jung, Vera Lutter, Nyaba Leon Ouedraogo, Taryn Simon, Thomas Struth, Guy Tillim, Michael Wolf and Chris Jordan.
Jordan, also a US photographer, received the Prix Pictet commission, which will see him carry out a photography project on location with the Tusk Trust conservation charity thanks to a €30,000 grant.
Jordan won the commission on the basis of his project Midway: Message from the Gyre, in which he documented the plastic-filled carcasses of dead baby albatrosses on Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. He says his images were conceived "to draw the viewer intimately into the horrors of global mass-consumerism, reminding us of the consequences of allowing growth to extend, unchecked, to every corner of the globe."
Visit www.prixpictet.com, whatisamericanpower.com, and www.chrisjordan.com.
Comments
if we continue to promote basic and commonplace images we will definitely and completely destroy photography. It's unbelievable to give a prize to this kind of images.
if this snapper has copped for £65k for his work then good luck,,as for the photography,, as usual it is the subject matter that is in the driving seat,,but in the cool light of day,, I think to my self ,,do these photography projects actually change anything? rather than the clicking of a shutter,, just for the record,,, not my speed,,but each to their own I suppose.. Hang loose ,and keep clicking...
if this snapper has copped for £65k for his work then good luck,,as for the photography,, as usual it is the subject matter that is in the driving seat,,but in the cool light of day,, I think to my self ,,do these photography projects actually change anything? rather than the clicking of a shutter,, just for the record,,, not my speed,,but each to their own I suppose.. Hang loose ,and keep clicking...
It's hilarious when a photographer of Mitch Epstein's calibre gets reduced to a "snapper". And what does it mean when the previous commentator says "it is the subject matter that is in the driving seat". In my opinion that's exactly what makes good, meaningful photography projects. Without subject matter one only has pretty pictures.
But on a different note, what the hell happened with the saturation in the above picture?? The greens are horrible and nothing like the same picture on Epstein's website.
What's wrong with so called pretty pictures,,, better than seeing negative pictures of doom and Gloom that is happening in our world today,,how about some originality in photography projects,,unlike the last comment of so called meaningful?
and good? YAWN..
What's wrong with pretty pictures? Nothing but if that's all you want to see then you can go look at some stock lifestyle photography. Besides what does Epstein's project have to do with doom and gloom? It's a very sober look at America's energy landscape. If there's something negative about it then it's just the sad reality of things.
But why do I even bother replying to you? It's not like anyone can really understand what the hell you're writing.
who said anything about JUST looking at pretty pictures,,, if you are willing to accept bog standard images calling them "meaningful"? or "good"? then carry on pandering to mediocrity,,,,
Did you even read my comments? What I said was that SUBJECT MATTER is what takes pictures past being just something pretty to look at. A series of photographs without interesting subject matter is totally meaningless. And if you truly believe Mitch Epstein's beautiful large format photographs are ''mediocrity" then I really don't want to know what you're in to. Rankin?
And how about keeping your fingers off the comma key? thanks.
I've seen my share of master original print and books and I've seen less interesting stuff (and non the less prententious)
Just looking through Mr Epstein website, I already know that he is certainly above average and deserve a deeper look. Now I'm looking for his book or exposition planning.
Prizes are not always deserved, but I'm glad that this one brought my attention to this photographer.
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