The “Deutsche Börse Photography”, created in 1996, rewards contemporary photographers whose work has made the most significant contribution to photography in Europe. Administrated by the Photographers ’ Gallery of London, the prize is worth £ 30,000 ($ 49,443). This year’s winner was announced during a ceremony at the University of Westminster of London’s Ampica3. This 15th edition was awarded to American photographer Jim Goldberg for “Open See” exhibited at the Photographers’ Gallery of London (October 15, 2009 through January 31, 2010) and at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Gallery of Paris.

Combining photos, polaroids, drawings and texts, Open See revealed the hopes and dreams of clandestine immigrants arriving from Eastern Europe or Africa seeking a better life in Europe. In Greece, India, Senegal, Mauritania and the Congo… Goldberg located and photographed these ‘virtual’ new Europeans. Jim Goldberg was a winner of the Henri Cartier-Bresson Prize in 2007 and has been a member of Magnum since 2002.

The three other finalists nominated were Thomas Demand for his exhibition Nationalgalerie at the Neue Nationalgalerie of Berlin, American artist Roe Etheridge for his personal exhibition at the Rencontres d’Arles, and Israeli artist Elad Lassry for his exhibition at the Kunsthalle of Zürich.

Bernard Perrine
Bernard.Perrine1@orange.fr