Wilderness unveiled: Fascinating hidden landscapes awarded in 162nd International Photography Exhibition
The award winners are announced today for the 162nd edition of the Royal Photographic Society’s International Photography Exhibition, the world’s longest running photography exhibition. The exhibition at RPS House, Bristol, opens on 15 February 2020.
American photographer Cody Cobb was awarded one of two prestigious awards for his stark landscapes made during periods of extended solitude. Cobb immerses himself in the American West for weeks at a time, stripped of basic human comforts and isolated within unfamiliar terrain. His series Strange Land captures the emotion of the land as much as the topography.
He said: “The support of The RPS has encouraged me to continue pushing myself and my work in ways that weren’t possible before. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity to share my interpretation of what it means to be human on this strange and fantastic planet.”
Under 30s award winner Chirag Jindal (b.1993) works at the intersection of documentary journalism, new media art and cartography. Based in New Zealand, Jindal’s series Into the Underworld - Ngā Mahi Rarowhenua reveals a network of lava caves hidden beneath Auckland. Reduced to urban myth, their existence is not common knowledge and ongoing discoveries go often unreported by the urban developers that destroy them. Jindal’s images are created using LiDAR, an emerging form of lens-based imaging applied in archaeological surveying and criminal forensics.
He said of his award: “As any other debut project, the work follows many long periods of experimenting, indecision and risk. It’s a privilege to have it be given this level of recognition and platform for outreach and exposure - especially amongst the high standard of photography in this year’s RPS exhibition.”
Selected from over 1370 entries from 62 countries, the exhibition features the work of 43 international photographers. Spirituality, identity, inclusion and the environment are some of the powerful narratives explored this year.
The exhibition at the Royal Photographic Society opens on 15 February 2020, before touring across the UK and coincides with the first anniversary of the organisations move to Bristol.
Open to photographers of all ages and abilities, the next call-for-entries to the International Photography Exhibition (163) will open later in the year. To be notified when entry is open please send a reminder request to the Exhibitions Department.
A series of talks and workshops from the exhibiting photographers will be bookable online. For further details on the exhibition and to learn more about this year's selection panel visit rps.org/ipe162.
The IPE is supported by theprintspace.
Tour Dates
The exhibition will tour to the following venues:
RPS House, Bristol: 15 February – 22 March 2020
Royal Albert Hall, London: 2 April – 27 April 2020
Beverley Art Gallery, Beverley: 13 June – 12 September 2020
Oriel Art Gallery, Theatr Clwyd: 28 November 2020 – 16 January 2021
Media Contact For access to images and further information, please contact RPS Communications Manager, Carly Heath, carly@rps.org 07936 362 364.
Press release (PDF)