Paul Graham Wins ‘Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009’

Paul Graham has been awarded the ’Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009’ on 25 March 2009 in London. The £30,000 prize rewards an international photographer for their significant contribution to the medium of photography during the past year.

Paul Graham (b.1956, UK) won for his publication a ’shimmer of possibility’. Graham works with its very nature, its dependence on light, its recognition of detail, its document of the moment. ’a shimmer of possibility’ assembles images from everyday life in today’s America. They reveal the power of the passing encounter, the need to be aware and the richness of experience to be extracted from the everyday.

The Jury this year was: David Campany, Writer/Lecturer, University of Westminster, UK; David Goldblatt, Photographer, South Africa; Chus Martínez, Chief Curator, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Spain; and Anne-Marie Beckmann, Curator, Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany.

The other shortlisted photographers in this year’s Prize, each awarded £3,000, are: Emily Jacir (b.1970, Kuwait), Tod Papageorge (b.1940, USA) and Taryn Simon (b.1975, USA).

Brett Rogers, Chair of the Jury and Director of The Photographers’ Gallery, said: ‘a shimmer of possibility’ sees Paul Graham pushing the photographic medium in many ways – through his acute observation of ‘bare’ life and diagnosis of the mood of contemporary America through its smallest details. Few photographic projects ever reach this level of subtlety, sensitivity and complexity.’

Alexandra Hachmeister, Head of Corporate Responsibility for Deutsche Börse, stated: “As title sponsor for the fifth year, we are delighted how the reputation of the Prize has developed, being the most prestigious photography prize in Europe today. We thank all those who have contributed – the Gallery staff, the Academy, the jury and above all the artists. We congratulate Paul Graham on being awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009.”

Deutsche Börse has sponsored this prestigious prize since 2005. The prize was originally set up in 1996 by The Photographers’ Gallery in London to promote the best of contemporary photography. The focus is on the promotion of young talents and the acknoledgement of outstanding works of international Photographic Art. Previous winners of the “Deutsche Börse Photography Prize” are Esko Männikkö (2008), Walid Raad/ the Atlas Group (2007), Robert Adams (2006) and Luc Delahaye (2005).

The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2009 is on show at the Photographers’ Gallery until 12 April 2009. The exhibition will tour to C/O Berlin (29 May – 29 June 09) and to Neue Börse in Frankfurt in late summer.


Further information:
The sponsoring of photographic art is an important part of Deutsche Börse Group’s sponsoring activities. This year, the company is celebrating ten years of Art Collection Deutsche Börse. The Art Collection includes more than 700 works, most of them large-size, by over 70 international artists. The art works are shown in the Group’s headquarters in Frankfurt, Eschborn and Luxembourg. The group hosts changing exhibitions of mainly younger photographers on a regular basis. Deutsche Börse offers guided tours through the collection and also supports exhibition projects in various German and international museums and institutions.

Please find more information about the Art Collection Deutsche Börse on the webpage: www.deutsche-boerse.com/art