The Vevey international photography 2013/2014 goes to Augustin Rebetez (1986, CH)

After two days of deliberation around 750 applications from 63 countries, a jury of international professionals composed of Florian Ebner, curator at Folkwang Museum in Essen (Germany), Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh & Rozenn Quéré, winners of the Vevey international photography award 2011/2012, Erik Kessels, curator and editor at KesselsKramer in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Kathy Ryan, photo editor at New York Times Magazine (USA) and presided by French photographer Bettina Rheims decided to award the young Swiss photographer Augustin Rebetez.

The jury states:
“The jury was unanimous in its decision for the Vevey international photography award 2013/2014. The winner Augustin Rebetez breathes energy in his works. He has developed a very ownable style over a very short period of time, even though this is not easy to put in a box. With a combination of free and staged photography using his immediate surroundings, he constantly surprises with his work. Augustin is not afraid to cross over with sculpture, film, photography and even drawings. He is one of the rare new and raw talents that the world of photography is waiting for. The fact that he studied in Vevey and lives in the region came as a pleasant surprise for the international jury. The proposed project will be a very welcome catalyst to further develop his creative madness.
The project submitted to the Vevey international photography award is more than strictly photographic: Augustin Rebetez plans an exhibition based on collaborations with artists and professionals from multiple fields, featuring photography and video, construction, projections and music. Starting from photographic portraits of people from the circassian community - acrobats, clowns, contortionist - he plans on recreating a magic and surprising universe.

One must have dreams and know what they are made of. I’m dreaming about getting this prize and working like a madman. I’m dreaming of making people dream. I’m ready. If I don’t do it late, i twill be too late.» explains Augustin Rebetez.

The winner now has a year to realize this project and present it in September 2014 at the Festival Images.

The jury also gave the following prize:

- Reportage - Leica: Abir Abdullah (Bangladesh) for a project on the effects of globalization on the garment industry in Bangladesh. He responds to the challenge of not only raising awareness on a subject of concern to a big majority but also wants to use his work to pressure global brands to take responsibility for working conditions in his own country.

- Light - Broncolor: Cédric Raccio (Switzerland) for his embrace of a wide range of photographic genres in his work and his varied visual vocabulary. He plans to give a contemporary tour of the Valais region by creating pictures based on the ancient stories and legends gathered in his archives.

- Jury special prize: Lucia Nimcova (Slovaquie) for Chuanita’s diary, explores our relationship to animals in a refreshing way, combining her own photographs with press clippings, illustrations and other found imagery.