Ponte City from Yeoville Ridge,
from the series Ponte City, 2008
© Mikhael Subotzky / Patrick Waterhouse
The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize rewarded a photographer of any nationality who made a significant contribution, in exhibition or publication format, to photography in Europe between 1 October 2013 and 30 September 2014.
Waterhouse collaborated with Subotzky for an ‘intimate and deeply evocative’ social portrait of a 1970’s Johannesburg apartment block that reportedly became a centre of crime, prostitution and drug dealing, and a symbol of urban decay.
The pair’s work also drew on architectural plans, plus archival and historical material about the building and community. Their project appeared in a publication called, Ponte City, last year.
Mikhael Subotzky & Patrick Waterhouse l Untitled #1, Ponte City, Johannesburg, 2008.
© Mikhael Subotzky / Patrick Waterhouse
Brett Rogers, chair of the judging panel, said: ‘The jury praised Subotzky and Waterhouse for introducing new ways of photographic storytelling and presentation in book form.
‘They have drawn together a rich and diverse array of archival and documentary approaches, to reveal, layer by layer, the complex stories concealed within one of Johannesburg’s most iconic buildings, Ponte.
‘This long-term, creatively ambitious project, serves as a compelling metaphor for South African society as it transitioned from Apartheid to post-Apartheid era and importantly explores the wider issues relating to the global migration of peoples today.’
Also shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2015 were Russian photographer Nikolai Bakharev; Zanele Muholi (South Africa); and Viviane Sassen (Netherlands).
The winners were announced at The Photographers’ Gallery in London.
The winners’ images are show at The Photographers’ Gallery until 7 June.
