We are delighted to congratulate IPE Award recipient Marcy Palmer for her series Seeds of Strength and Resilience and the Under 30s Award is presented to Léa Chen for her series The Stars That Don't Look Back. Both photographers have been awarded the highest accolades this year.
The exhibition will launch at Saatchi Gallery, London 7 August 2026
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Marcy Palmer is an American artist whose work explores themes of beauty, history, and social justice through the lens of nature and science. Marcy has an M.F.A. in Photography & Related Media from the School of Visual Arts and a B.S. in Studio Art from Skidmore College. Her work has been shown in various spaces in the US and internationally.
On receiving the IPE award Marcy Palmer said:
“My heart leapt and my eyes filled with tears upon reading my acceptance to the exhibition and receiving the IPE 167 Award. I am deeply honored and thrilled, thank you.”
The selection panel awarded Marcy Palmer's series Seeds of Strength and Resilience, which explores the history and future of reproductive rights, asking: how have recent restrictions affected women's autonomy, and what will the future hold?
Léa Chen has been awarded the Under 30s IPE Award for her series The Stars That Don't Look Back.
Léa Chen is a Taiwanese artist who is currently based in London. Focusing on the female perspective, her work explores themes of self-identity, memory, and trauma through personal experience.
Often seeking inspiration in nature, Chen’s work further investigates the intimate bond between humans and the land, while challenging social and cultural issues that are often left unspoken in society.
On receiving the Under 30s IPE Award Léa Chen said:
“I feel deeply grateful to receive this award. The RPS’s supportive and inspiring community has helped my work reach and be appreciated by a wider audience, which is more than I could have dreamed of. I am truly excited to see where this award will lead me, and how it will continue to fuel my creative journey.”
