History
The Hasselblad Award is an international photography prize – considered the most prestigious in the world. It was awarded for the first time in 1980 and has been presented annually since then, with the exception of 1983 and 2021.
Criteria
The Hasselblad Award is granted to “a photographer recognized for major achievements”, as stated in the last will and testament of Erna and Victor Hasselblad. The recipient may be an individual who has made pioneering achievements in photographic art, who has had a decisive impact on younger generations of photographers, who has realised several internationally significant photographic projects and continued to develop artistically.
Prize
Currently the award comprises the sum of SEK 2,000,000, a gold medal and a diploma. The winner of the award is usually announced around 8 March, the birthday of Victor Hasselblad. Later the same year an exhibition of the award winner’s work opens at the Hasselblad Center and a symposium with the winner is arranged on the same occasion.
Selecting the Winner
Each year, the Foundation’s board of directors appoints an award committee of internationally prominent experts and scholars in photography. The committee nominates 3–5 candidates, from which the Foundation’s board of directors selects a winner.