The Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 winner is London-based photographer Steph Wilson for her portrait Sonam, which formed part of her Ideal Mother series. Ideal Mother subverts traditional portrayals of motherhood by focusing on mothers with singular or unusual stories.
In Sonam, Wilson captures an androgynously looking mother, complete with a false moustache—a hint of her occupation as a wig maker and her family’s urging to express her uniqueness. The judges praised this work for its layered storytelling, which breaks stereotypes around motherhood and individuality.
A series from the book Big Sky by Adam Ferguson came second and included three views of Indigenous Australians taken in rural settings. Ferguson’s portraits reveal the complex relationship between a maintained traditional lifestyle and modernity; the influence of globalization on Indigenous cultures throughout Australia includes his subjects: Lutheran Pastor Simon Dixon, two cousins covered in pop culture clothing, and a young boy on a traditional kangaroo hunt. In their reasoning, the judges praised Ferguson for his thoughtful expression of the intersection of past and present in Indigenous life.
Third place went to Tjitske Sluis and her touching series Out of Love, Out of Necessity – a documentation of her late mother’s final days. Dutch photographer Sluis used the work to process her mother’s decline and shot images that surprisingly displayed resilience and humour despite the grim subject. The winning portrait-Mom shows her mother resting, surrounded by a patterned duvet and a loyal dog; this is an image of vulnerability and strength. The image stirred a public debate on the nation’s care crisis in the Netherlands. It is an excellent example of photography starting discussions in society.
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Commission prize went to Jesse Navarre Vos for Mom. I’ll follow you still, part of a series documenting his relationship with his adoptive mother and grandmother, Edith Mavis Velk. Vos took a shot of her at a care facility in a very touching moment: he made this to illustrate the emotional distance he was experiencing when she struggled with the adversities of ageing. This piece stood out to our judges due to its quiet intensity and profound sense of empathy.
These works have won the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 exhibition from 14 November 2024 to 16 February 2025 at London’s National Portrait Gallery. Diverse photography by emerging talents and established artists is on display in this, the 17th annual exhibition, offering a range of compelling narratives from across the globe.
Complete list of artists:
Anoush Abrar, Hidhir Badaruddin, Shahid Bashir, Polly Braden, Claire Brand, Laurie Broughton, Kate Brownbill, Jacek Davis, Sophie Ebrard, Adam Ferguson, Drew Gardner, Stas Ginzburg, Kat Green, Charlotte Hadden, Wayne Hanson, Alice Harris, Sarah Mei Herman, Takamasa Honda, Ingvar Kenne, James Clifford Kent, Kovi Konowiecki, Maria Lax, Roo Lewis, Jiayue Li, Toks Majek, Hannah Maule-Ffinch, Tadhg Joseph, Harmen Meinsma, Mayita Mendez, Frankie Mills, Sandra Nagel, Ville Niiranen, Latoya Okuneye, Laura Pannack, Jasmeen Patheja, Patarit Pinyopiphat, Janice Reid, Juanita Richards, Francisco Rosas Rangel, Tanmay Saxena, Phil Sharp, Christian Sinibaldi, Tjitske Sluis, Kun Song, Megan Taylor, Nick Van Tiem, Farren Van Wyk, Mathilde Vieilledent, Jesse Navarre Vos, Madeleine Waller, Yan Wang Preston, Shen Wei, Steph Wilson, Kasia Wozniak, Sam Wright
Featured Works and Events
Alongside the competition winners, the exhibition includes the In Focus display showcasing Diana Markosian and her series Father, a decade-long investigation into her relationship with her estranged father. Markosian will discuss her approach to storytelling in an artist conversation on 15 November 2024.
Also on display is the newly commissioned portrait of clean air advocate Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE by Serena Brown, winner of the 2023 Taylor Wessing Photographic Commission. This portrait celebrates Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s campaigns to highlight the health consequences of air pollution.
Events to Come
Along with the exhibition, a selection of events has also been presented. These include:
Curator’s Introductions: An insight into the exhibition with curator Clare Freestone on 23 January 2025.
Masterclass with Pogus Caesar: A workshop in photography on 23 November 2024, judged and led by the artist.
Sensory and Descriptive Tours: Special accessible tours for neurodivergent and visually impaired visitors.
BSL Tour: An exhibition tour led in British Sign Language on Thursday, 24 January 2025.
This year’s exhibition brings to the fore the wide-ranging talent in contemporary portraiture, with powerful stories and technical artistry.
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 exhibition from 14 November 2024 to 16 February 2025 at London’s National Portrait Gallery.