The 2014 Byblos Bank Award for photography finalists announced

Byblos Bank has announced the names of the ten finalists of the 2014 Byblos Bank Award for Photography, the third edition of one of Lebanon’s most prestigious awards dedicated to Lebanese photographers.

The Byblos Bank Award for Photography, organized in partnership with the Beirut Art Fair, was initiated in 2012 with the strong belief that creativity is a real and renewable resource. It is a central element of the Bank’s mission to support Lebanese art in general and emerging Lebanese photographers in particular. Its ultimate goal is to contribute to the establishment of photography as a standalone art in Lebanon and the creation of a professional market for it.

This year, some 67 photographers participated in the first phase, a record number for the competition. Ten finalists have been selected: May Arida, Hussein Baydoun, Angelo Beaini, Myriam Boulos, Sandra Fayad, Shogh Ian, Danielle Kassouf, Diana Mehrez, Richard Sammour, and Nina Sharabati. All of the finalists will be exhibiting their work at the 2014 Beirut Art Fair from 18 to 21 September, with the winner of the Award to be announced on Sunday, 21 September 2014, at 5:30 PM.

Nada Tawil, Head of Group Communication Department at Byblos Bank said: “Art enables artists to transmit culture, to communicate concepts, and to make a living, thus allowing them to dedicate more time to doing what they love and to fulfill their dreams.” She added: “By supporting photography as a form of art, we promote cultural cohesion and a sense of stability and belonging in our community, which necessarily leads to economic prosperity and both personal and social growth.”

For his part Pascal Odille, Artistic Director of the Beirut Art Fair said: “Through its role as a sponsor and a platform to launch talents, Byblos Bank has become a cultural space, an exchange hub where art becomes the link between the business world and contemporary creation.” He added: “Byblos Bank is becoming the main supporter of tomorrow’s big artists in photography, a form of expression that is already at the forefront of art today.”

The jury for the 2014 edition is composed of renowned experts in photographic imagery, including veteran photojournalist Jack Dabaghian, professional photographer Tony el-Hage, Polka Magazine editor-in-chief Dimitri Beck and photography collector Tarek Nahas. The jury is headed by Renaud Bergonzo, founder of the Paris-based acte2galerie specialized in photography.

With some amazingly creative pictures from truly talented Lebanese photographers it will be really interesting to find out who will receive the 2014 Byblos Bank Award for Photography. The lucky winner will benefit from an expert mentoring program that allows him or her to sharpen his/her skills and showcase his/her work with a solo photo exhibition at Byblos Bank Headquarters – an event promoted through both a targeted media campaign and a personal catalog.