The Prix de Photographie Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière - Académie des Beaux-Arts was established in 2007 at the initiative of the Academy member of the same name. This mid-career award aims to assist a professional photographer to complite a project. There is no age limit, and the prize is open to photographers living in France regardless or their nationality. The project is to finished within a year and is exhibited at the following year’s award ceremony. The winning photographer is given 15,000€ for the preparation of the exhibition.

The 2012 jury included Arnaud d'Hauterives, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Jean Cardot, Lucien Clergue, Marc Fumaroli, Guy de Rougemont, Jacques Rougerie, Régis Wargnier and Elise Longuet, with assistance from Agnès de Gouvion Saint-Cyr and Bernard Perrine. Three rapporteurs from the world of photography (Natacha Wolinski, Jean-Pierre Lavoignat and Alain Sayag) presented a pre-selection to the jury made from the 99 portfolios submitted to the Academy.

The finalists were, in alphabetical order: 
Dmytro Afanasenko (Ukraine, "État des lieux") 
Nolwenn Brod ("ar gouren", la lutte en breton) 
Katharine Cooper ("Les Blancs Africains") 
Frédéric Delangle ("Microshop") 
Thierry Girard ("Après le fracas et le silence. Journal de Tohoku") 
Grégoire Korganov ("À l'ombre") 
Chrystèle Lerisse ("Les vaches dans leur paysage") 
Lucie & Simon ("Portraits et paysages à travers l'Europe du Sud-Est d'aujourd'hui") 
Christophe Taylor ("Steinholt") 


The winner of the prize was announced by Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière and Arnaud de Hauterives at the l'Institut de France in the Salle Comtesse de Caen. Katharine Cooper will complete her project in South Africa over the course of the coming year and will prepare for its exhibition at next year’s award ceremony.


Katharine Cooper (b. 1978) is a South African photographer based in Arles, France. She studied photography in Zimbabwe at Nottingham Trent University. In 2000, she fell in love with Arles during a six-month exchange program at the École nationale Supérieure de la Photographie, where she went on to enroll, graduating in 2004. In addition to her own work, she oversees the prints of Lucien Clergue’s photography. Her next series will be called White Africans.
Her project will remain on display, along with the 2011 winner, Françoise Huguier, until November 24, 2012.

Bernard Perrine
Bernard.Perrine1@orange.fr

More informations on www.academie-des-beaux-arts.fr

Exhibiton until November 24, 2012
Palais de l'Institut de France
Salle Comtesse de Caen
27 quai de Conti
75006 Paris - France
Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 6 pm