Chinese photographer Liping Cao has won the $200,000 grand prize of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award.
The winners of the 13th award were revealed during a ceremony on Tuesday at the Museum of the Future. The annual prize was held under the theme of sustainability.
Cao’s photograph is a sharp reflection on the the subject, poetically underscoring the need of impelling sustainable practices to protect the planet.
In the monochrome image, wind turbines rise against the horizon, their blades languidly moving in the breeze. The implied strength of renewable energy is contrasted by the dry riverbed beneath the turbines. The sky above has an almost menacing quality, accentuating the photograph’s allusion of our relationship with the planet by featuring clouds amassing in varying shades of grey and white.
The rest of the awards were divided into several categories, offering a total prize pool of $1million. Categories include Sustainability, Colour, Black and White, Portfolio, Sports Photography, Short Videos, as well as special prizes.
“This award, with its diverse categories, embodies Dubai’s ambitious vision and leadership, enhancing its position on the global stage as a magnet for photographers and creatives in general,” said Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. “It showcases Dubai’s ability to build bridges of communication among people and communities by honouring talented individuals who, through their creative work, tell the stories of cultures, document traditions, and convey powerful messages that reflect society and heritage.”
Ruijuan Huang from China took the first prize in the Sustainability category. His photograph features an aerial shot of solar panels tiled against a lush verdant landscape. French photographer Virginie Ellis and Indian photographer Ranganathan Mukkai took home the second and third prize respectively.
Indian photographer Rahul Vishwanath Sachdev won first prize in the Colour category. The winning work features the silhouette of rhinoceros in a forest lit gold with the sun. Youmn Mohammed Almanla from Saudi Arabia and Ahmed Abdallah Al Housni from Oman won second and third prize respectively.
In the Black and White category, US photographer Renee Capozzola took the first prize. The photograph features two whales, a parent and its child, swimming against the vertiginous backdrop of the ocean. Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod from Sri Lanka and Ateeb Hussain from India came in second and third respectively.
Palestinian photographer Fatma Alzahra Shbair won the first prize in the Portfolio (storytelling) category. Her series of works shows heart-rending images from Gaza, including one where a little girl is maddened with the grief of losing a loved one. The photographs also show the devastating effects of the Israeli airstrikes, as well as children holding out empty bowls, crying for food.
Dutch photographer Sarah Wouters won the second-place prize in the Portfolio category, followed by Wen Bing from China.
Tobias Friedrich from Germany took the first prize in the Sport Photography category. The winning work features professional free-diver underneath an iceberg. US photographer Karim Iliya and Indonesian photographer Hendra Agus Setyawan came in second and third.
Aleksandr Tsuprun from Russian Federation won first prize in the Short Videos category. His work is a minute-long video that reflects on the world’s interconnectivity. Tsuprun was followed by Norbert von Niman from Sweden and Abhin Kizhakke Veettil from India.
Furthermore, Emirati photographer Salma Ali Humaid Alsuwaidi received Photography Content Creator Award for her book Common Birds and Their Nests in the United Arab Emirates, in which she documents the country’s diverse bird species.
Dutch photographer James Philip Nelson received the Photography Appreciation Award for his photographs of indigenous communities around the world.
The first Hipa Photographer of the Year Award, meanwhile, was given to Syrian astrophotographer Samy Al Olabi, who is known for his moving photographs of celestial objects.
More than a quarter of the winners of the 13th Hipa live in the UAE, Ali bin Thalith, the award’s secretary general, said. “This reinforces the UAE’s leadership in attracting global talent and innovators,” he added.
The strong presence of local talent was particularly notable, as the award extended its reach to 205 countries this year.
Founded by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Hipa was instituted to encourage and support art, culture and innovation.
“What truly matters to us is the advancement of the photographer and the photography industry,” Bin Thalith said. “His Highness’s vision for nurturing human creativity is apparent from his decision to raise the total prize purse under the award to $1 million.”
