Who Are the Shortlisted Artists for the 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize?
Artists from the U.S., U.K., Iran, and Poland have been nominated for the £30K prize. Save to My Ocula
The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize has revealed its 2026 shortlist: Jane Evelyn Atwood, Weronika Gęsicka, Amak Mahmoodian, and Rene Matić.
Each artist for the 30,000 GBP prize has been shortlisted for a significant international exhibition or photobook from the past 12 months.
American photographer Jane Evelyn Atwood is nominated for the revised 2024 publication of Too Much Time / Trop de Peines, documenting the living conditions of female inmates, while Polish artist Weronika Gęsicka’s shortlisted publication Encyclopaedia (2024) interrogates misinformation in the age of AI.
Amak Mahmoodian and Rene Matić, both based in the U.K., are shortlisted for exhibitions from late last year. Mahmoodian’s nominated Bristol Photo Festival show One Hundred and Twenty Minutes explored exile—the photographer herself is unable to return to her native Iran.
The intimate photography of Rene Matić, recognised here for their exhibition AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH at CCA Berlin, is also under consideration for this year’s Turner Prize, making this a potentially momentous period for the 28-year-old photographer.
‘This year’s shortlist is a powerful testament to photography’s enduring ability to explore our shared social and societal circumstances,’ says Anne-Marie Beckmann, the foundation’s director, in a statement.
‘It celebrates photography’s versatility and capacity to not only document the world but to challenge our perceptions of it, giving significance to issues and communities that are often overlooked.’
A group exhibition of work from the shortlisted projects will open at The Photographers’ Gallery in London next March, travelling to the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation near Frankfurt in September.
The 2026 jury includes Beckmann, Foto Colectania Foundation director Elisa Medde, photographer Newsha Tavakolian, Autograph ABP director Mark Sealy, and Shoair Mavlian, director of The Photographers’ Gallery.
Founded in 1996, the award marks its thirtieth edition this year, with past winners including Lebohang Kganye, Samuel Fosso, Cao Fei, Susan Meiselas, Trevor Paglen, and Juergen Teller. South African photographer Lindokuhle Sobekwa was the 2025 recipient.
The winner will be announced on 14 May. —[O]
Main image: Amak Mahmoodian, One Hundred and Twenty Minutes (2019–2024) (detail). Courtesy Amak Mahmoodian.
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services