It is with great delight following an award event last night at London’s Nobu Hotel Portman Square that we can announce the winner of the inaugural Louis Roederer Photography Prize for Sustainability. The theme this year is that of ‘terroir’ and the submitted works were judged by an internationally renowned panel of judges comprising Darius Sanai, Maryam Eisler, Brandei Estes, Azu Nwagbogu, Carrie Scott, Maria Sukkar.

Many congratulations to the winning photographer, Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah for her stunning series entitled ‘Behold the Ocean’.  This forms part of an extensive body of work that explores the circumstances of climate research in southernmost Patagonia. In 2020 she accompanied two oceanographers as they researched ocean acidification, a phenomenon caused by global warming. Its negative effects are significant; toxic microalgae thrives and endangers the marine ecosystem. Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah is a German-Ghanaian visual artist and documentary photographer based in Zürich, Switzerland. To discover more of Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah’s work please visit her website www.akosuaviktoria.com

Darius Sanai, Chair of the panel of judges, commented: “On behalf of the judges, it was both a privilege and a challenge to judge such a consistently high standard of works and we are indebted to the artists, and nominators, for bringing such a wealth of artistry and interpretations of our theme to the inaugural Prize.

Ocean acidification is an issue that affects all of us, whether or not we live by the water. The oceans provide two thirds of the oxygen we breathe and are a major driver of our weather and climate; they are also home to 90% of the habitable space on the planet, yet remain both mysterious to, and abused by, humans. Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah’s works cast light on the state of the oceans while being memorable artworks in themselves.”

Last night Frédéric Rouzaud, CEO of Champagne Louis Roederer and the President of the Louis Roederer Foundation awarded Akosua Viktoria Adu-Sanyah with the first prize and she will receive  £5,000 to continue funding her projects.

The two runners up are Jasper Goodall and Sahab Zaribaf who were also highly praised by the judges for their interpretations of the theme.

Frédéric Rouzaud concluded the presentation saying “I’m very proud and honoured to launch this new photography prize and my thanks go to the great panel of judges, nominators and fantastic artists! The quality of the submissions exceeded my expectations, all of which were striking in the intelligence, sensitivity and authenticity of their approach to the subject.”

Champagne Louis Roederer, sustainability and the arts
Champagne Louis Roederer have long patronised the arts. The Louis Roederer Foundation was founded in 2011 with the purpose of perpetuating Louis Roederer’s sponsorship activity which followed on from its discovery of the photography collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France in 2003. Since being awarded the title of ‘Major Patron of Culture and Arts’, the Foundation has supported photography and cinema through the Discovery Award at the Rencontres d’Arles, the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award at La Semaine de la Critique in Cannes and the Louis Roederer Foundation Revelation Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival, and patronising the French Academy in Rome, among others. In all the creative and artistic endeavours that it sponsors in these iconic places of culture and intelligence, the Louis Roederer Foundation plays its favourite role in supporting and nurturing talented up-and-coming artists.

Champagne Louis Roederer are passionately committed to sustainability, and for more than 20 years, they have been engaged in ‘renaissance viticulture’ using practices that respect the living environment to allow the nuances of the Champagne terroir to be fully expressed. They use practices inspired by the permaculture model, which allow the ecosystem to self-regulate. These include organic farming, the use of biodynamic composts, allowing the land to lie fallow for long periods, maintaining hedgerows and low stone walls, growing fruit trees and installing beehives. Louis Roederer’s eco-friendly ethos is rooted in its history and yet looks to the future. Frédéric Rouzaud  commented “We are ‘artisans’ of champagne, whose savoir-faire includes a great deal of creativity. It was only natural to build bridges with art”.
By creating this prize, they can continue to support the arts, while highlighting sustainability and environmental issues.

The works of the three finalists are currently being exhibited at The White Box, Nobu Hotel Portman  Square until the 29th May 2022.