Four Artists Shortlisted for 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize

The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize has revealed its shortlist for 2026, featuring four artists whose work delves into pressing issues of truth, memory, identity and social justice. The nominees — Jane Evelyn Atwood, Weronika Gęsicka, Amak Mahmoodian and Rene Matić — are recognized for their significant contributions to contemporary photography, each exploring societal themes with powerful visual narratives.

Now in its 30th year, the prestigious £30,000 (€34,000) prize celebrates a photographer or artist whose work has made a profound impact through a recent exhibition or publication. The shortlist was announced by The Photographers’ Gallery in London, with Anne-Marie Beckmann, director of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, emphasizing photography’s continuing role in challenging perceptions and addressing overlooked communities and issues.

“This year’s shortlist is a powerful testament to photography’s enduring ability to explore our shared social and societal circumstances,” Beckmann said. “It celebrates photography’s versatility and capacity to not only document the world but to challenge our perceptions of it.”

An exhibition showcasing the shortlisted works will open at The Photographers’ Gallery, London, from 6 March through 7 June 2026. The exhibition will then travel to the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation in Eschborn/Frankfurt from 3 September 2026 to 17 January 2027. The winner will be announced on 14 May 2026.

The Shortlisted Artists and Their Works

Amak Mahmoodian – One Hundred and Twenty Minutes

Amak Mahmoodian’s One Hundred and Twenty Minutes is a poignant exploration of exile and belonging, blending photography, poetry, and film. Collaborating with individuals from 14 countries and drawing on her own personal experiences, Mahmoodian examines how displacement influences memory and imagination. The title, referring to the average amount of time humans spend dreaming each night, serves as a metaphor for the fragile border between reality and the imagined, inviting viewers to reflect on the emotional and psychological impact of displacement.

Jane Evelyn Atwood – Too Much Time / Trop de Peines

Jane Evelyn Atwood returns to her powerful decade-long documentation of women in prisons across nine countries in the 1990s. In Too Much Time / Trop de Peines, Atwood’s striking black-and-white photographs highlight the systemic inequalities faced by female inmates, from inadequate healthcare to lack of access to hygiene. Her deeply humanist project captures both the stark neglect and the quiet resilience of women in the most marginalized spaces of society.

Weronika Gęsicka – Encyclopaedia

Weronika Gęsicka’s Encyclopaedia takes a surreal and thought-provoking approach to the world of “trap entries”—fake words or false information intentionally inserted into reference books. Using AI-generated imagery and manipulated stock photos, Gęsicka visually reinterprets these fabricated entries, questioning the instability of truth in the digital age. Her project blurs the lines between fact and fiction, inviting viewers to consider how we navigate a world where reality is increasingly shaped by digital manipulation and misinformation.

Rene Matić – AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH

Rene Matić’s work, which combines photography, installation, and sound, delves into contemporary British life, exploring themes of identity, class, family, and subculture. Matić describes their practice as existing within the “rude(ness),” celebrating the in-between spaces of identity and belonging. Their exploration of the complexities of identity in modern Britain challenges conventional notions of truth and embraces the fluidity and resistance that come with navigating multiple cultural and social contexts.

The Prize and Its Impact

The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize has been a significant milestone in the photography world for the past three decades, recognizing the work of contemporary artists who push boundaries and raise critical questions about the world we live in. This year’s shortlist exemplifies the diverse ways in which photography continues to address key social, political, and cultural issues, making a meaningful contribution to the ongoing dialogue on identity, truth, and justice.

The winner of the 2026 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize will be announced on 14 May 2026. In the meantime, the exhibition offers an opportunity to experience firsthand the impactful work of these four artists, whose thought-provoking projects continue to shape the conversation on contemporary photography.