Wednesday, 4 February 2015

Elliott Erwitt to receive 2015 Outstanding Contribution to Photography award


USA, New York City. 1999. Elliott Erwitt / MAGNUM PHOTOS

4th Feb 2015


The World Photography Organisation is delighted to announce that legendary Magnum Photos photographer Elliott Erwitt will receive the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards Outstanding Contribution to Photography. Previous recipients of the award, given in recognition of a photographer’s significance on the photographic industry, include Eve Arnold, William Klein, Marc Riboud, William Eggleston and Mary Ellen Mark.

An intimate exhibition celebrating Erwitt’s most famous imagery, alongside his lesser known works and spanning his incredible 60 year career, will be presented at Somerset House, London from 24th April – 10th May as part of the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. Alongside the exhibition, there will be a rare public talk between Erwitt and his long-time friend and renowned book designer Stuart Smith, on the 24th April.
Smith, who has worked with Erwitt on his last 16 photobooks, says of his friend and colleague: “Elliott is tireless. He works solid through the day until we’re worn out at in the evenings. He just doesn’t stop; he’ll get in as much as possible. And it’s always the same - seven days a week.”



It’s this dedication and passion towards his artform that has led Erwitt to producing some of the most heartfelt, down to earth, and at times, ironic and humorous photography of the past century - and certainly some of the most recognisable. It’s for these reasons that the French born American, who joined Magnum Photo agency in 1953, is to be awarded the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards Outstanding Contribution to Photography.

England, Kent. 1968. © Elliott Erwitt / MAGNUM PHOTOS


Astrid Merget Motsenigos, Creative Director of the World Photography Organisation and organiser of the awards, comments: “Elliott is entirely unique and independent in every way. Photography is part of his very fabric, but he also clearly separates what he calls his ‘hobby’, from his client work. To most, there will be no noticeable difference between the two. That is what makes him a master.”
Elliott will receive his award on Thursday 23rd April at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards annual Gala Ceremony. On the same night, the winners of the awards’ professional categories and the overall L’Iris d’Or / Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year will be announced. 

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