“Risthelhueber did indeed swing it"

“Risthelhueber did indeed swing it - and, not for the first time of late, the Deutsche Borse judges have shown a distinct bias for a certain kind of conceptual art photography that might be better suited to the Turner prize shortlist.” This is what Sean O’Hagan wrote in the Guardian reporting on the news that Sophie Risthelhueber was awarded the Deutsche Börse Prize on Wednesday night.

As you will have already read, I commented on the fact that this year’s prize was from the very beginning; being pecked at and in some places was worthy of that. However I was somewhat disappointed when reading O’Hagan’s article as I felt that same old question surrounding Photography popped its head up once more, is photography an art form?

As with all art forms, trends come and go, experimentations take place and that by no means it is any less worthy of artistic credibility or as Joanna Pitman, from The Times suggested an “abandonment of quality.” Conceptual Art Photography, as all like to call it now, is a very important development in Photography. It paved way for artists that use photography to feel worthy, understood as professionals outside the constraints of straight photography. It is an ever-increasing market within the industry and artists like Raad, Collins as well as Risthelhueber are intrinsic for its development. One can only hope that the Deutsche Börse is re-branded as an Art Prize because in my eyes Photography is worthy of that.