Prix Pictet

Prix Pictet
Name	Prix Pictet
Awarded for	Photography addressing sustainability and environment
Presenter	Pictet Group
Country	Switzerland
First awarded	2008

Prix Pictet

The Prix Pictet is an international photography prize established in 2008 that recognizes photographic projects addressing sustainability and environmental challenges. Launched by the Pictet Group and conceived in collaboration with curators and institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the prize has linked contemporary photographers to themes resonant with global agendas like those advanced at the United Nations and by organizations including World Wide Fund for Nature and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Winners and shortlisted artists have had their work exhibited at venues such as the International Center of Photography, Tate Modern, and Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

History

The prize was created by the Swiss private bank Pictet Group with support from figures associated with institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate. Early iterations drew on curatorial advice from specialists connected to the Getty Research Institute, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Royal Academy of Arts. Founding patrons and jurors included professionals from the British Museum, Fondation Cartier, Art Institute of Chicago, and the National Gallery, London. The inaugural award paralleled programs at the World Economic Forum, and subsequent cycles engaged with events at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution.

Purpose and Themes

The prize focuses on photographic work that addresses planetary-scale issues resonant with agencies like the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Each cycle sets a theme—such as "Water", "Earth", "Power", "Space", "Hope", "Fire", and "Landscape"—invoking dialogues similar to those in forums like the World Health Organization or the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The thematic approach has linked laureates to subjects explored by the Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Conservation International, and scholarly research at the Royal Society and Max Planck Society.

Organization and Administration

Administration is conducted by a secretariat funded by the Pictet Group and coordinated with partner institutions including the Fondation Beyeler, Musée d'Orsay, and the V&A. A rotating jury of leading figures from museums and academia—representatives from institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, National Gallery of Art, and the Getty Conservation Institute—selects the shortlists and winners. The prize works with galleries such as the Gagosian Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, and the Whitechapel Gallery for touring exhibitions, and produces catalogues in partnership with publishers like Thames & Hudson and Phaidon Press.

Prize and Awards

The main award confers a cash prize that has been disbursed by the Pictet Group to support artistic practice. Additional commissions and residencies have involved organizations such as the British Council, Goethe-Institut, Asia Society, and the Australian Centre for Photography. The prize framework has included collaborations with the European Commission cultural initiatives and support from private foundations like the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Award ceremonies have taken place in venues including the Royal Society and have featured presentations referencing policy initiatives at the United Nations General Assembly.

Winners and Shortlists

Laureates and shortlisted artists have included photographers who are also connected to institutions and events such as the Venice Biennale, the Hasselblad Award, the Pulitzer Prize, the World Press Photo competition, and the Sony World Photography Awards. Shortlisted photographers have gone on to show work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Centre for Contemporary Photography. Individual winners have participated in residencies at the MacDowell Colony, the Yaddo, and commissions from the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Exhibitions and Publications

Exhibitions of shortlisted projects have toured internationally to venues including the Tate Modern, V&A, Palais de Tokyo, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Fotomuseum Winterthur, and the International Center of Photography. Catalogues and monographs have been published with partners such as Tate Publishing, Thames & Hudson, Aperture Foundation, and Steidl Verlag. The prize has coordinated programs with festivals like Rencontres d'Arles, PhotoEspaña, Paris Photo, and Les Rencontres d'Arles and contributed works to collections at the Musée d'Orsay, National Portrait Gallery, London, and the British Library.

Criticism and Reception

Critical reception from publications including The Guardian, The New York Times, Le Monde, The Times, Financial Times, and Artforum has been mixed, noting the prize's prominence in debates comparable to those surrounding the Turner Prize and the Hasselblad Award. Scholars and commentators from institutions such as the London School of Economics, the Courtauld Institute of Art, and the Royal Institute of International Affairs have critiqued the prize's engagement with activism and policy, while curators from the Museum of Modern Art and critics writing for ArtReview have praised its thematic rigor. Debates have involved NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch when works intersect with rights-based concerns, and commentators have compared its influence to biennials such as the São Paulo Art Biennial and the Documenta series.

Category:Photography awards Category:Swiss art awards