The 32nd Oskar Barnak Leica Prize has been awarded to Danish photographer Jan Grarup for his subject Haiti Aftermath, which recounts the consequences of the earthquake on January12th, 2010 in Haiti. When it happened, Jan Grarup traveled to Haiti on the request of several magazines in order to provide information on the catastrophe and the extent on the stricken inhabitants, and to research members of their family or friends in an apocalyptic environment. This is the least that comes out of the black and white photographs that have grabbed the attention of the jury composed of Stanley Greene, Mark Rykoff, image editor at TIME.com, Anna Gripp, Editor in chief at Photonews, Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, art director of the Leica Galery in Salzbourg and Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, President of Leica Camera AG.

The winner will receive an allocation of €5,000 and a Leica M9 Camera worth €9,000.

In addition, this same jury awarded the Oskar Barnack Leica “Newcomer” Prize to the Chinese photographer Jing Huang. For his subject entitled “Pure of Sights,” he will be awarded with a Leica M9 Camera. Both prizes will be delivered on the evening of the 5th of July during the Rencontres d’Arles.

The 32nd Leica Prize has broken its own record with more than 2,000 applications sent by professional photographers compared to the 1,700 in 2010, with a majority of artists from Germany, United States, China, France and Russia.

Jan Grarup is a Danish photographer born in 1968. He was awarded at World Press Photo and his works have already been published in magazines all over the world.

Jing Huang is a Chinese photographer born in 1987. In 2003, he entered the Guangzhou Arts Academy.

Bernard Perrine
BernardPerrine@Le-Photographe.net