Valérie Belin has been announced as the winner of the Sixth Prix Pictet. The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, Kofi Annan, Honorary President of the Prix Pictet. The CHF100,000 prize has been awarded to Valérie Belin for her series Still Life. The choice of the winning series was made by the independent Jury from the shortlist of twelve photographers announced in July at a special event at Les Rencontres d’Arles.
Valérie Belin, winner of the Prix Pictet : “The works fully espouse the artistic genre of the still life and, within that, the vanitas and memento mori (“remember that you must die”); they belong in this long pictorial – and now also photographic – tradition. The choice of objects – mass consumer items – makes them contemporary still lifes. Plastic is the dominant raw material. These objects come from all over the planet. They are purely decorative and have no function. Their use value is virtually nil. There is no real need that can justify the profusion of these cheap objects in discount stores; their only “justification” lies in the chaos resulting from the imperatives of international trade and the needs that are created to stimulate it..”
Sir David King, the climate change expert and chair of the judges: “Disorder is a powerful and complex theme, for which over 700 photographers were nominated, many responding with clarity and brilliance. In fact, the quality of the nominations made the jury debate one of the toughest we have had.”
The 12 shortlisted photographers were Ilit Azoulay (Israel), Valérie Belin (France), Matthew Brandt (United States), Maxim Dondyuk (Ukraine), Alixandra Fazzina (United Kingdom), Ori Gersht (Israel), John Gossage (United States), Pieter Hugo (South Africa), Gideon Mendel (South Africa), Sophie Ristelhueber (France), Brent Stirton (South Africa) and Yang Yongliang (China).
The Disorder finalists’ exhibition will be at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris from 13 November to 13 December.
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
11 avenue du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France
http://www.mam.paris.fr/en
Sir David King, the climate change expert and chair of the judges: “Disorder is a powerful and complex theme, for which over 700 photographers were nominated, many responding with clarity and brilliance. In fact, the quality of the nominations made the jury debate one of the toughest we have had.”
The 12 shortlisted photographers were Ilit Azoulay (Israel), Valérie Belin (France), Matthew Brandt (United States), Maxim Dondyuk (Ukraine), Alixandra Fazzina (United Kingdom), Ori Gersht (Israel), John Gossage (United States), Pieter Hugo (South Africa), Gideon Mendel (South Africa), Sophie Ristelhueber (France), Brent Stirton (South Africa) and Yang Yongliang (China).
The Disorder finalists’ exhibition will be at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris from 13 November to 13 December.
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
11 avenue du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France
http://www.mam.paris.fr/en
