Ingrid Pollard has been named the winner of the 2024 Hasselblad Prize. The prize, which includes 2 million SEK and a Hasselblad camera, is considered the world's highest honor given in recognition of a living photographer. Previous recipients include Nan Goldin, Miyako Ishiuchi, Graciela Iturbide, Alfredo Jaar, Cindy Sherman, Dayanita Singh, Carrie Mae Weems and Wolfgang Tillmans. Pollard will receive the award at a ceremony that will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden, on October 11; That same day, an exhibition of his work will open at the Hasselblad Center, accompanied by a publication.
“Ingrid Pollard uses photography to question deeply rooted social and cultural constructs behind race, identity, community and gender,” the foundation said in its citation of Pollard. “His work reveals subtle and starkly obvious injustices through his engagement with the landscape, iconography and British identity, as well as challenging the medium of photography and its history.” The foundation praised Pollard for having “consistently engaged with colonial history and how it continues to impact society, both in her artistic practice and as a photography educator,” noting that she has had “a profound impact on younger generations of artists and thinkers . ”
Born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1953, Pollard at the age of four emigrated with her family to London, where she was raised. Often combining portraits, found archival material, objects and text to produce complex installations, she investigates themes of race and otherness through a practice that encompasses photography, media and research. Pollard gained widespread recognition in the 1980s with several photographic series depicting black people in the English landscape and exploring issues of nationalism, stereotypes, nostalgia and belonging. In the early 2000s, she began researching the British tradition of naming pubs “Black Boy”; The project resulted in a book and an exhibition on the topic. Pollard was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2022 and in 2023 was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to the field of art.
“Receiving the Hasselblad Prize is a great honor,” Pollard said in a statement. “It comes at a time in my life when I am quite mature and it gives me the opportunity to support younger photographers and researchers, which I intend to do. I want the prize to go beyond myself.”
Source: Artforum