The CAP Prize for Contemporary African Photography is an exposure award aimed at recognizing, promoting and amplifying the works of talented African photographers through a series of exhibitions organized in partnership with renowned international photography institutions and events. Originally established by Benjamin Füglister in 2012, this prestigious award seeks to showcase and celebrate the vibrant realm of contemporary African photography. Its primary objective is to enhance the global visibility and exposure of the winners by fostering connections and opportunities for their future endeavors within a well-established network of industry professionals.
The CAP Prize welcomes submissions from artists and photographers whose work is either created on the African continent or explores the African diaspora. This prestigious award offers a remarkable opportunity for recognition and exposure across Africa as well as on a global scale. Among the submissions, a total of 25 artists will be shortlisted, and from this group, five exceptional photographers will be honored with the CAP 2023 Award. It is customary that every year the prize is awarded to five exceptional photographers. The winners of the CAP Prize are invited to spend a week in Basel, Switzerland, where they are graciously hosted at the main exhibition of the IAF Basel – Festival for Contemporary Art. This experience offers them a chance to engage in meaningful collaborations with a distinguished panel of curators, editors, writers, artists, and specialists from various parts of the world who will review their works and provide valuable insights to contribute to their growth and artistic development.
Presented in alphabetical order by artists, the 25 shortlisted projects for the CAP 2023 Award meticulously selected by a panel of 20 international judges include works by; Robin Bernstein, Bright Charles, Kwasi Darko, Yagazie Emezi, Nadja Ettwein, Yassmin Forte, Maheder Haileselassie, Carlos Idun-Tawiah, Jonathan Jasberg, Bontle Juku, Issam Larkat, Mohamed Mahdy, Alisa Martynova, Merji, Obakeng Molepe, Kriss Munsya, Neec Nonso, Emeke Obanor, Léonard Pongo, Lamees Saleh, Antonia Steyn, Jono Terry, Geremew Tigabu, Elliott Verdier, and Kyle Weeks. It is also notable to mention that the winners of this year’s CAP Prize will be officially announced at the Photo Basel International Art Fair in June 2023.
Since 2012, previous editions of the exhibition featuring the winners of the CAP Prize were artfully showcased in collaboration with various photography festivals like the LagosPhoto Festival, PhotoIreland Festival in Dublin, Cape Town Photography Month in South Africa, OBSCURA Festival of Photography in George Town, Malaysia, Festival Internacional de Fotografia de Cabo Verde in Mindelo, Eyes On, European Month of Photography in Vienna, the Night of Images in Lausanne, Festival Image Afrique in Basel, the International Photography Meetings in Fés, Morocco, the International Photography Meetings in Ghar El Melh, Tunisia, Addis Foto Fest in Addis Ababa, and the African Photography Biennial in Mali. These collaborations have enhanced the exposure and recognition of the CAP Prize winners, elevating their work to a wider audience.
