Of course, Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin were there, with their formidable Holy Bible and their extended, clever speech. But the 30th edition of the ICP Infinity Awards was more marked by the emotion of the photojournalists being honored. With broken hearts, tearful eyes and generous words—both in the their video presentations and onstage speeches—you could read on their faces the message they strive to communicate in their photographs: keep sympathizing, keep fighting injustice, keep telling the painful stories of those facing adversity. Samuel James, with his work on the consequences of the oil industry in the Nigerian delta, is one of the young photographers to watch. Stephanie Sinclair and Jessica Dimmock, among the more emotional guests at the reception, are ardent fighters against forced marriage, especially in Iraq, and their series Too Young to Wed reminds us of the existence of universal human rights. And Jürgen Schadeberg, considered to be the father of South African photography, demonstrated the importance of his documentation in the fight against Apartheid, and his kindly vision offers a lesson in positive engagement.
This reception, which marked the 40th anniversary of the International Center of Photography, was also the opportunity to see that Mark Lubell, its new executive director, knows how to draw both crowds and the illustrious photographers of Magnum, an ability which surely owes itself to his past position. This year one could still see the “older” generations, from Elliott Erwitt and his legendary horn, the always friendly and unobtrusive Bruce Davidson, and the younger Susan Meiselas with her penetrating gaze. There was a red carpet, nightlife photographers, crowds, cocktails, smiles and the sun setting over the Hudson. This year was also notable for its warm atmosphere, which isn’t always the case at the ICP Awards. At the dinner, one could pick out Quentin Bajac, the new director of the MoMA photo department, the first foreigner to hold that position. He seemed to pay close attention not only to the photographs, but also to the winners’ profound words. Not far off: the writer Fred Ritchin; his wife, Carole Naggar; Deirdre Donohue, the ICP librarian; Sean Corcoran of the Museum of the City of New York and members of this year’s jury; Pauline Vermare, the promising ICP curator; and Brett Rogers of the Photographers’ Gallery in London, also a jury member who came especially for the occasion. Although the evening was supposed to end at 9:30, it stretched on with another round of strong drinks, and not a few people let themselves be carried away by house music spun by the DJ until nearly midnight. Like we said before, it was an evening filled with emotions.
Winners of the 2014 ICP Awards:
Cornell Capa Lifetime Achievement: Jürgen Schadeberg
Art:James Welling
Fashion: Steven Klein
Photojournalism: Stephanie Sinclair and Jessica Dimmock
Publication: Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, Holy Bible
Young Photographer: Samuel James
