Renowned photographer Elliott Erwitt was to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award at the Sony World Photography Awards on April 23.
Erwitt, 86, was due to accept the award at the annual ceremony in London, surrounded by leading figures from the international photography world.
During the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House in London, scheduled from April 24 through May 10, both familiar and lesser-known work by Erwitt was to be shown. A public conversation between Erwitt and his book designer, Stuart Smith, was also scheduled for April 24.
Elliott Erwitt is recognized worldwide for his candid and often ironic black-and-white images of everyday life.
He has been a member of the Magnum photo agency since 1953. He said of photography: “To me, photography is an art of observation, it’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
In addition to his famous images of President Nixon, Marilyn Monroe and Parisian dogs, he had produced an enormous body of photographs and films and was still working on them daily at the time. The exhibition at Somerset House also featured his books, archival prints, favorite photographs and a selection of his films.
The Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award is presented annually by the Sony World Photography Awards. The previous year, it went to Bruce Davidson. Earlier recipients included Eve Arnold, William Klein, Marc Riboud, William Eggleston and Mary Ellen Mark. The honor is better known as the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Elliott Erwitt was to receive his award on April 23, the same day the winners of the professional categories and the overall L’Iris d’Or / Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year were to be announced.
Info: www.worldphoto.org.
