The ACF London is pleased to present an exhibition of works by the winners and shortlisted artists from our photography prize in tribute of the late Austrian emigre photographer Wolf Suschitzky. The ACF London, with the support of the Austrian Federal Chancellery (BMKOeS) initiated the prize in 2018 following the death of Wolf Suschitzky. Reflecting the dual nature of Suschitzky's identity, the prize was aimed at photographers based in both the UK and Austria. This year the prize is presented in partnership with Fotohof Salzburg.

For the second iteration of the prize applicants were invited to submit work on the theme of Life in 2020. Attracting over 140 submissions from Austria and the UK the diversity demonstrated in their responses to the theme and technique were remarkable.

The exhibition will feature winning entries by Mike Ying (UK) and Lea Abendstein (Austria) alongside the shortlisted photographers. From Austria: Anny Wass, Katharina Bayer, Maurizio Cirillo and Maximillian Schneller. From the UK: Bex Day, Les Monaghan, Maisie Hill, Michaela Nagyidaiova.

Both the winning photographers were carefully considered by our UK / Austrian jury. They will receive a residency in the partner city (London or Vienna). The Vienna residency is made possible with the kind support of the BMKOeS.


Mike Ying’s dynamic portraits convey the situation and difficulties of dancers out of work during the Covid-19 lockdown, situated not in studios but displaced at bus stops and London underground walkways. A love of life and the joy of performance in constantly changing, colourful environments and a different pictorial design in each work reveal a vivid image of its protagonists. The subjects of Ying’s portraits speak with their gaze and the power of body language.

Lea Abendstein's beautiful, multi-layered collages give us a sense of the interior experience of the pandemic lockdown, and its impact on mental health, familial structures and everyday life. Her collages oscilate between the feelings of life in a world before and after the pandemic. Powerful imagery and semantic subtlety are combined skillfully in one work.

The Jury would like to highly commend the following photographers:
Les Monaghan (UK)
Maximilian Schneller (AT)