Two exceptional photographers have been named winners of the 45th annual Leica Oskar Barnack Award, one of the world's most prestigious photography competitions. Alejandro Cegarra and Serghei Duve emerged victorious from a field of more than 300 photographers nominated by approximately 120 experts across nearly 50 countries worldwide.
Cegarra, a Venezuelan-born photographer now based in Mexico, claimed the main award for his powerful black-and-white series titled "The Two Walls." Meanwhile, German photographer Serghei Duve earned the LOBA Newcomer Award for his compelling work "Bright Memory." Both series demonstrate the profound ability of photography to capture complex human experiences and social realities.
Cegarra's award-winning project "The Two Walls" represents seven years of dedicated work documenting the harsh realities faced by migrants and refugees along the U.S.-Mexico border. From 2018 through January 2025, the photographer traveled extensively throughout the borderlands, focusing his lens on the extraordinary dangers and challenges that people encounter while searching for better lives. His work reveals how Mexico, once considered a safe haven for refugees, has become increasingly inhospitable due to closer cooperation with U.S. anti-immigration efforts.
The photographer's commitment to his subject matter is evident in the scope of his work - Cegarra captured 35,000 images during the project, from which only 20 were selected for the final LOBA series. "I worked on this series from 2018 to January of this year and was always between the borders," Cegarra explained. "I wanted to concentrate on the humanity and universally human emotions." His photographs include intimate moments such as Eddie, Carolina, and their four-year-old daughter Valentina hiding in an abandoned house before attempting to cross the Rio Bravo, and asylum seekers waiting at the gates of the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees in Tapachula.
Born in 1989, Cegarra began his photographic career in 2012 working for Venezuela's largest newspaper, Últimas Noticias. Since establishing himself as a freelance photographer, his work has appeared in major publications including National Geographic, The New Yorker, and TIME. His accolades include the Getty Editorial Grant in 2017, the same year he relocated to Mexico, and the Global Award for Long-Term Projects from World Press Photo in both 2019 and 2024. Notably, Cegarra previously won the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award in 2014 for his series "The Other Side of the Tower of David," making him the first photographer in the award's history to graduate from the newcomer category to win the main prize.
Serghei Duve's winning series "Bright Memory" explores deeply personal themes of identity and belonging through his family's connections to Transnistria, a fascinating and complex territory. Born in Chișinău, Moldova, in 1999, Duve moved to Hanover, Germany, with his family when he was just one year old. Despite growing up in Germany, Russian culture remained central to his upbringing, with the family speaking Russian at home. This bicultural experience profoundly influences his photographic work, which primarily focuses on questions of identity and origin.
Duve's passion for photography began early when he received a camera for his 10th birthday. Now studying Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography at the Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts since 2021, he has developed a distinctive voice in exploring cultural identity. His "Bright Memory" series examines Transnistria, a territory that declared independence from Moldova in 1990 but remains internationally unrecognized and supported only by Russia. Through his images, Duve visualizes the Russian concept of "bright memory," exploring how everyday life is shaped by nostalgia and division.
The series includes poignant moments such as Valera and Artjom arguing about the war in Ukraine, family members shooting with air rifles, and Sasha and Kira spending their last evening together before Sasha begins military service, hoping someday to move to Europe. These intimate photographs capture the complex emotions and relationships that define life in this disputed territory. The Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award, available to photographers under 30, recognized Duve's exceptional ability to translate personal experience into universal themes.
The jury's decision reflects the competition's commitment to recognizing photography's social impact and artistic excellence. "This year's Leica Oskar Barnack Award jury reached their decision with close consideration and a deep appreciation for photography's social impact," said Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International. She particularly praised Cegarra's journey from newcomer to main category winner, calling it "a first in the history of the award" that demonstrates "how photographic voices grow and are becoming more urgent than ever."
Felix Hoffmann, Curator at Foto Arsenal Vienna, emphasized the competition's significance in the international photography community: "The LOBA has established itself as a key reference point for the international photography scene, embodying quality, diversity, and social relevance. The wide range of topics was striking this year: from very personal stories to global social issues."
This year's awards carry special significance as they coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, the first mass-produced 35mm camera. The 45th edition of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award thus becomes part of Leica's expansive "100 Years of Leica: Witness to a Century" celebration, highlighting photography's evolution and enduring power to document human experience.
Both winners receive substantial recognition beyond the honor itself. Cegarra earned a 40,000 euro cash prize plus a Leica camera kit worth 10,000 euros for the main award. Duve's Newcomer Award includes 10,000 euros and a Leica Q3 camera. All LOBA series are currently on display at the Ernst Leitz Museum Wetzlar with support from WhiteWall, and the winning photographs will subsequently tour various Leica Galleries and photography festivals worldwide, ensuring these powerful human stories reach audiences across the globe.
