Shortlist 2024 / Leica Oskar Barnack Award

Shortlist Overview

The shortlisted candidates for the internationally renowned Leica Oskar Barnack Awards (LOBA), which will be presented for the 44th time this year, have been determined.

Ksenia Ivanova: Between the Trees of the South Caucasus

A magnificent landscape filled with mighty trees, but here too lurk the dangers of a conflict over independence and nationality. The series by the Russian photographer provides insight into the social and political situation in the South Caucasus and, taking into account the current war in Ukraine, also poses questions about the future and the impact on the people living there.

Forough Alaei: Underneath the Calm Streets of Iran

The aesthetics of the Iranian photographer’s imagery could well have emerged from the world of fashion. Consequently, in contrast to the surroundings that are defined by restrictions in daily life, they appear fresh and modern. The photographer centres her work around the underground movement that is developing, where women are breaking free from official regulations.

Emily Garthwaite: Tears of the Tigris

Iraq is the country in the world most seriously affected by the consequences of climate change. Extreme periods of heat and diminishing precipitation have turned water into a valuable and contested resource. Along the course of the River Tigris, photographer Emily Garthwaite uncovers both the ecological and geopolitical impact, as well as the deep legacy and the resilience of the people living in the region.

Anush Babajanyan: Nagorno-Karabakh War and Exodus

The series by the Armenian photographer speaks of a region that has been nearly completely forgotten by the general public: the conflict, that has been on-going for decades, has led to the complete displacement of a whole group of the population. Babajanyan’s emotional and empathic images from Nagorno-Karabakh document the lives of the inhabitants with their threatened state and uncertain future.

Adriana Loureiro Fernández: Paradise Lost

Adriana Loureiro Fernández has been documenting the deep-seated changes taking place in her homeland, Venezuela, for the last decade. She speaks of a generation who strive for freedom and positive change, but also of the upheavals the country has been going through for a considerable amount of time. The project is a personal examination of a crisis that is pushing millions of Venezuelans to flee, and to redefine the concept of homeland.

Ingmar Björn Nolting: An Anthology of Changing Climate

From cruise ships to amusement parks, from solar installations to climate protests, Björn Nolting’s desaturated, cleverly-composed images reveal the paradoxes of Germany’s ambitious climate goals. The outcome is an impressive photographic journey of exploration through a divided society.

Etinosa Yvonne: It’s All in My Head

The Nigerian photographer’s work is dedicated to the fostering of mental health. In addition to photographs, her multi-layered project is made up of videos, performances and sculptures. The metaphors included in the portraits emerge out of previous conversations with her protagonists.

Sara Meneses Cuapio: Raízhambre

Reminiscent of Baroque paintings, the photographer places impressive metaphors in dark images with light accents. Her series deals with her family’s roots in the forest, on land belonging to her grandmother – the land of her ancestors as well as the Nahua culture. Insights into the symbolic images in the Raízhambre series.

Lucas Lenci: Inattention Era

Many people’s daily lives are defined by a permanent sensory overload. The Brazilian photographer’s black and white series presents brilliantly white but empty LED displays found in public places. For him they serve as metaphors for the excessive amount of information we are confronted with, which is more than most people can process. Lenci describes the state of an era characterised by a lack of concentration.

Tong Niu: Express Delivery

Tong Niu’s project began with the idea of documenting the work of mothers: four years ago, the photographer immersed himself in China’s logistics and courier sector, and used it as an example to reflect the history of urbanisation and industry. His direct, yet very sensitive pictures tell about the lives of the messengers who moved from the village to the city, dreaming of getting a glimpse of the exciting world there.

Shortlist 2024

The shortlisted candidates for the internationally-renowned Leica Oskar Barnack Award photo competition, that will be granted this year for the 44th time, are set.

Shortlist Overview

Ksenia Ivanova: Between the Trees of the South Caucasus

Forough Alaei: Underneath the Calm Streets of Iran

Emily Garthwaite: Tears of the Tigris

Anush Babajanyan: Nagorno-Karabakh War and Exodus

Adriana Loureiro Fernández: Paradise Lost

Ingmar Björn Nolting: An Anthology of Changing Climate

Etinosa Yvonne: It’s All in My Head

Sara Meneses Cuapio: Raízhambre

Lucas Lenci: Inattention Era

Tong Niu: Express Delivery