Carmignac Photojournalism Award: A Retrospective
18th November – 13th December 2015

Saatchi Gallery
King’s Road, Duke of York's HQ, Sloane Square, London SW3 4RY
www.saatchigallery.com
7 days a week : 10am – 6pm, Free admission

The Fondation Carmignac is pleased to opening of Carmignac Photojournalism Award: A Retrospective at London’s Saatchi Gallery from 18 November to 13 December 2015

The exhibition will feature a total of 40 works, produced since the Award’s 2009 inception by all laureates past and present.

The first room of the exhibition is entirely dedicated to the Iranian photojournalist and fifth Carmignac laureate, Newsha Tavakolian. Tavakolian’s project explores the lives of young middle class Iranians caught between the pressures of an increasingly modern society and a revolutionary Islamic ideology. Photographs from the winning projectproduced in 2013 are shown alongside video installations first exhibited at the Venice Biennale this year.

Chechnya forms the focus of four works on show by Italian photojournalist, Davide Monteleone. Taken from the report Monteleone produced from December 2012 - April 2013 as part of the fourth Carmignac laureateship, the portfolio’s title Spasibo, (Russian for ‘thank you’) can be interpreted as an ironic gesture of gratitude to Chechnya’s oppressors.

Four works will also be displayed by the third winner of the Award, Robin Hammond. Taking Zimbabwe as its subject, Hammond’s work charts the violent decline of the country at the mercy of the Mugabe regime. On two occasions during the process, officials caught up with Hammond, culminating in a 26-day imprisonment and eventual deportation as a ‘Prohibited Immigrant’.

Documenting the Pashtun civilian militia’s conflicts with the Taliban in the Swat Valley, Pakistan, second laureate Massimo Berruti’s report reveals both the situation caused by the Taliban, and the resistance mounted by the local population with only minimal resources.

The exhibition line-up is completed by the Award’s first ever laureate, Kai Wiedenhöfer. Photographs from his series, focused on the theme of Gaza, aim to provide an unsentimental portrayal of the Israeli attack that took place in January 2009 and its effects on the people and the buildings of the Strip.

At the end of the exhibition, the incumbent laureate Christophe Gin, introduces his series about French Guiana, with one photograph. Working to the theme of Lawless Areas in France - selected by the Fondation Carmignac as the subject for the sixth edition of the Award - his black and white photographs investigate the highly hermetic societies of this overseas region in France.

An exhibition dedicated to Christophe Gin’s series is currently being presented at the Chapelle des Beaux-Arts de Paris from 5 November to 5 December 2015.

About the Carmignac Photojournalism Award
The Fondation Carmignac launched the Carmignac Photojournalism Award in 2009 with the aim of supporting and celebrating photojournalism. This unique Award funds an emerging photographer to visit areas of the world at the centre of geostrategic conflict, where human rights and freedom of speech are often violated. The Award focuses on specific geographical zones, and the theme changes annually.

A key aim of the Award is to support the winning photojournalist by providing a global platform for their work to be seen and collected. The Fondation Carmignac collaborates with the winner throughout the entire project offering the laureate €50,000 to allow them to perform their project, financing a monograph and developing and staging an international touring exhibition upon their return. The Fondation Carmignac also commits to purchasing four photographs from the winner’s portfolio, which then enter Carmignac’s prestigious art collection.

About the Fondation Carmignac
Created in 2000, the Fondation Carmignac has its roots in Carmignac’s corporate collection, which has been on display in the asset management company’s premises since its formation. Built up over the past twenty-five years with an open mind and no restrictions, this unique compendium of contemporary art reflects the personal interests of Carmignac’s founder, Edouard Carmignac, a seasoned fund manager and stockbroker.
The Foundation, headed by Gaïa Donzet, plans to open new premises on the protected island of Porquerolles in 2017.

Showcase : Carmignac Photojournalism Award at the Frontline Club on Tuesday 24 November 2015, 7:00PM
Join the Fondation Carmignac and the Frontline Club for a special evening of talks and debates. The panel will feature 3rd Laureate of the Award, Robin Hammond and 4th Laureate Davide Monteleone.
For further informations and to book tickets, visit www.frontlineclub.com