The finalists of the 2nd edition of the Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability
05/05/2023
The Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability supports both creation and ethical consideration by rewarding a photographer who has tackled an environmental issue. Convinced that no development can be sustainable without a strong cultural component, the Louis Roederer Foundation wishes to broaden the international scope of this Prize, as well as its links with the humanities and social sciences and, naturally, with the environmental sciences. Since its launch in 2022, the Prize has gained a significant reputation and is followed in the photography and art world.
The theme of the 2023 edition of the prize is ‘Flow’
Flow represents circulation and exchange, and in our context, the constant dynamic between nature and people; the relationship that ties people to their environment and the circular interaction with nature and life forces. This reciprocal motion highlights the need to receive according to our needs and give to the extent of our capacities. Flow also illustrates the tension existing between people and nature: immersed yet separated from it, somehow master yet dependent on it.
This year, twenty-six photographers competed, chosen by thirteen nominators, who were selected by our panel of nine judges respected collectors and arbiters of the art scene, spanning Hong Kong, Singapore, Lagos, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, London and New York.
The three finalist photographers for this year’s prize who impressed the judges with their diverse and stunning interpretations of the theme are:
Hengki Koentjoro
Hengki Koentjoro (born 1963, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia) is an accomplished photographer, specialising in capturing the spectral domain that lies amidst the shades of black and white. He proceeded to pursue further education in Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, an expedition that plunged him into the professional arena of video production and fine art photography. Childhood introduction to camera on his eleventh birthday is by now an earnest love affair that involves an elaborate choreography of composition, texture, shapes and lines. Upon his return to Indonesia, Hengki settles in Jakarta as a freelance videographer and video editor for nature documentaries.
M’Hammed Kilito © Vladimir Gheorghiu
M’hammed Kilito
M’Hammed Kilito (born 1981, Lviv) is a documentary photographer and a National Geographic explorer based in Casablanca, Morocco. His practice focuses on the relationship between groups or individuals and their environments. His works capture narratives that facilitate an understanding of this relationship, covering issues related to cultural identity, the sociology of work, and climate change. Kilito graduated a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Montreal and a Master’s degree in Political Science from Ottawa University. He is currently participating in the two-year VII Mentor Program.
Yasuhiro Ogawa
Yasuhiro Ogawa (born 1968, Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan). He graduated a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Kanagawa University and started photography in early twenties and then began his professional career in 2000. He currently lives in Tokyo. He travelled all around the world without any specific destinations, only following his instinct. When he turned fifty, he decided to go through all the B&W negatives he had taken so far. For him, every moment of the journeys might have been vision of dreams.
Their works will be on exhibition at The WhiteBox, Nobu Hotel Portman Square, in London, from 11th May to 1st June 2023. The winner will be announced by Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of Champagne Louis Roederer and President of the Louis Roederer Foundation, at an awards ceremony held at the gallery on Thursday 11th May.