For our third edition of the Wolf Suschitzky Photography Prize the ACF London welcomed submissions on the theme of ‘Im Augenblick gefangen / Capturing the moment’. Suschitzky is known for his versatility and his ability to apply himself to different situations. Each of his photographs conveys key elements of his attitude as a photographer: curiosity, fascination, spontaneity, as well as a genuine concern and respect for those who he photographed. He was also a master of capturing the moment. In German the word for ‘Moment’ is Augenblick made up of the two words ‘Auge/Eye’ and 'Blick/Gaze'. We invite photographers and artists to submit work which captures the moment or their moment in the spirit of Wolf Suschitzky.

This prize celebrates and reflects Wolf Suschitzky’s strong connection to both the land of birth and his chosen home. Submissions were reviewed and selected by an international panel of art experts:

Carla Mitchell (Four Corners Gallery, London)
Clare Grafik (Photographers' Gallery London)
Prof. Gabriele Rothemann (Klasse Fotografie Universität für angewandte Kunst, Vienna)
Katharina Manojlovic & Anja Manfredi (Schule Friedl Kubelka, Vienna)
Kurt Kaindl (FOTOHOF Salzburg)
Nela Eggenberger (EIKON Chefredaktion / Editor in Chief)
Val Williams (UAL Professor of the History and Culture of Photography)
Peter Suschitzky representing the Suschitzky Family

Following a successful submission process with over 100 applications from Austria and the UK we are pleased to announce the winners of the second Wolf Suschitzky Photography Prize:

UK Winner: Moira Lovell

Moira Lovell’s series Modelling Selfies in Paper Outfits explores how women construct, and are constructed by, their encounters with the image, in the digital age. A time when cameras converged with mobile phone technology and are connected to the internet. Her methods are an interplay of self-portraiture, image-appropriation, and re-enactment. Moira’s selfies, which show herself in front of a mirror wearing paper dresses, address questions of authorship in the arts and the way female subjects tend to be the topic of male artists. By staging herself as the subject, Moira is reversing this imbalance and taking ownership of herself and her body.

Austrian Winner: Olivia Coeln

Olivia Coeln’s intimate photo series of Koi carp fishes floating in water offers a new approach towards animal photography. The jury applauded the originality of the work and the sense of mystery that is created by these close-up portraits of animals which seem to be suspended in time. She expands the common practices of street photography past the anthropocentric gaze to include nonhuman actors within its scope. Like Wolf Suschitzky in his touching images of zoo animals, such as monkeys, pelicans, zebras she focuses on capturing moments of human and non-human relations, condensing natural, fantastic as well as animistic fragments into psychedelic image montages. Encapsulated in resin, seemingly freezing the gaze of carps in tanks, these photographs seek to frame the mutual, estranging and exhilarating encounters of humans and their domesticated counterparts.

Shortlist

From Austria:
Nicole Maria Winkler
Julius Werner Chromecek
Philipp Hoelzgen
Sona Andreasyan

From the UK:
Alfie White
Andreas Billman
Cal Cole
Jan McCullough

The winners will be exhibited alongside the shortlisted artists at the ACF London in October 2023. Further details to follow.