Introducing this year’s Prix Pictet contenders

Photography has always played an important role in bringing to light people, places and situations that might otherwise go unseen. That’s part of the thinking behind the Prix Pictet – a prestigious award set up by the Pictet Group in 2008, which champions photographers who place issues of sustainability and the environment at the centre of their work. The shortlist for the sixth edition has just been announced (click here to compare them with last year’s contenders). Work by the 12 artists will tour the world for 18 months, starting at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris where Kofi Annan will announce the winner on 12 November. Who do you think should win?

Ilit Azoulay, born Jaffa 1972, lives and works Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel

Intoxication of Oblivion (2012), Ilit Azoulay. Courtesy Ilit Azoulay ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Valérie Belin, born Boulogne-Billancourt 1964, lives and works Paris, France

Still life with mask #140209 by Valérie Belin. Courtesy Credit: Valérie Belin ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Matthew Brandt, born Los Angeles 1982, lives and works Los Angeles, USA

Bees of Bees 2 (DETAIL) (2012), Matthew Brandt. Courtesy Credit: Matthew Brandt ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Maxim Dondyuk, born Polyan’ 1983, lives and works Nova Kabovka, Ukraine

(18 February 2014, Kiev, Ukraine) from the series 'Culture of the Confrontation', Maxim Dondyuk.

Riot police began to storm Maidan after clashes on Shelkovichna street. (18 February 2014, Kiev, Ukraine) from the series ‘Culture of the Confrontation’, Maxim Dondyuk. Courtesy Maxim Dondyuk ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Alixandra Fazzina, born London 1974, lives and works London, UK

(April-December 2008, Shimbero, Somalia), from the series 'A Million Shillings; Escape from Somalia', Alixandra Fazzina.

Somali refugees departing Shimbiro Beach to board smugglers’ boats to Yemen (April-December 2008, Shimbero, Somalia), from the series ‘A Million Shillings; Escape from Somalia’, Alixandra Fazzina. Courtesy Alixandra Fazzina ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Ori Gersht, born Tel Aviv 1967, lives and works London, UK

Time After Time: Blow Up No. 2 (2009), Ori Sersht. Courtesy Ori Gersht ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

John Gossage, born New York 1946, lives and works Washington DC, USA

Rochester, from the series ‘Should Nature Change’, John Gossage. Courtesy John Gossage ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Pieter Hugo, born Johannesburg 1976, lives and works Cape Town, South Africa

Aissah Salifu, Agbogbloshie Market (2010, Accra, Ghana), from the series ‘Permanent Error’, Pieter Hugo. Courtesy Pieter Hugo ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Gideon Mendel, born Johannesburg 1959, lives and works London, UK

Shirley Armitage (February 2014, Moorland Village, Somerset, United Kingdom), from the series ‘Drowning World’, Gideon Mendel. Courtesy Gideon Mendel ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Sophie Ristelhueber, born Paris 1949, lives and works Paris, France

Eleven Blowups #5 (2006, Middle East), from the series ‘Eleven Blowups’, Sophie Ristelhueber. Courtesy Sophie Ristelhueber ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Brent Stirton, born Durban 1969, lives and works New York, USA

(July 2007, Bukima, Democratic Republic of Congo), from the series 'A violation of Eden', Brent Stirton.

Conservation Rangers work with locals to evacuate the bodies of four Mountain Gorrillas killed in Virunga National Park, Eastern Congo (July 2007, Bukima, Democratic Republic of Congo), from the series ‘A violation of Eden’, Brent Stirton. Courtesy Brent Stirton ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Yang Yongliang, born Shanghai 1980, lives and works Shanghai, China

From the New World (2014, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and etc), from the series ‘Artificial World’, Yongliang Yang. Courtesy Yongliang Yang ©Prix Pictet Ltd 2015

Related Articles

Review: The Fifth Prix Pictet (Emma Crichton-Miller)

‘Consumption’: The Fifth Prix Pictet Shortlist