This year’s winners of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA) photo competition have been announced:
Press release:
In this 40th jubilee year of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Leica Camera AG is honouring Luca Locatelli and Gonçalo Fonseca as the 2020 winners.
On Thursday evening, Leica Camera AG honoured the Italian photographer Luca Locatelli, and the Portuguese photographer Gonçalo Fonseca, during an award ceremony that took place at Leica Headquarters in Wetzlar. The members of the international jury had previously chosen eighteen finalists from among the nominees submitted by 65 eminent photography experts from around the world.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the renowned award. On the occasion of this jubilee, the comprehensive 40 Years of Leica Oskar Barnack Award exhibition was opened yesterday evening at the Ernst Leitz Museum Wetzlar. Among the guests were Manfred Wagner, Mayor of the town of Wetzlar, as well as prominent Leica photographers and former LOBA winners. Due to the limitations currently in place because of Covid-19, the ceremony was held under special regulations and with only a small number of guests. It was, however, broadcast live online, and followed by people from their homes. Excerpts of the evening will soon be available on the various Leica channels.
The evening was moderated by Karin Rehn-Kaufmann (Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International). The introduction into the history of the LOBA was presented by Dr. Andreas Kaufmann (Majority Shareholder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG). The opportunity was also taken to honour the great commitment of Günther von Zydowitz, former Head of Press and Public Relations for many years, and co-initiator of the LOBA. The evening’s programme also included the introduction of the innovative new Leica M10-P Reporter.
THE WINNERS
Both series submitted by the LOBA winners this year deal with issues and questions that are pertinent to our times. In his long-term Future Studies series of outstanding motifs, the Italian photographer Luca Locatelli explores themes impacting our global future; the newcomer, Gonçalo Fonseca from Portugal, documents the current housing shortage in his home-town of Lisbon.
Luca Locatelli receives award money, increased this year to 40,000 euros, as well as camera equipment valued at around 10,000 euros.
As winner of the Newcomer Award, Gonçalo Fonseca receives a photography assignment, a two-week tutoring course at Leica Camera AG in Wetzlar, and a Leica Q, valued at around 5,000 euros.
Their winning series will be on display at the Leica Gallery Wetzlar, until February 7, 2021. The comprehensive jubilee exhibition, 40 Years of Leica Oskar Barnack Award, can be seen at the Ernst Leitz Museum, until the end of March, 2021.
