Prix Pictet 2008
The theme for the inaugural Prix Pictet was ‘Water’. The exhibition of shortlisted works opened at the Palais de Tokyo on Thursday 30th October 2008. At the opening reception Kofi Annan, Nobel Laureate and Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, announced Canadian photographer Benoit Aquin as the winner of the inaugural Prix Pictet..
On presenting the CHF 100,000 Prix Pictet 2008 to Aquin for his Chinese Dustbowl series, Mr Annan said: “The images submitted for the Prix Pictet confront us with the scale of the threat we face and they act to inspire governments, businesses – and all of us as individuals – to step up to the challenge and support change for a sustainable world.”
One of the shortlisted artists, Munem Wasif, was awarded the Prix Pictet Commission to photograph a WaterAid project in Bangladesh, supported by Pictet & Cie.
The Prix Pictet exhibition ran from 29 October - 7 November 2008 at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris. The exhibition then toured internationally prior to the launch of the 2009 award.