A Showcase for New Artistic Voices
Bringing together photography, contemporary art, haute couture and international personalities, the first official Art Vision Awards ceremony offered Cannes a new creative interlude.
In Cannes, art always seems to find its perfect setting. On September 11, amid the elegant and cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Croisette, photographers, artists, fashion designers, creative directors and international guests gathered to celebrate a discipline that never ceases to reinvent itself: photography.
Behind this new artistic platform is Gil Zetbase, photographer, publisher and founder of the Art Vision Awards. His ambition is clear: to identify emerging voices, nurture talent and provide artists with an international platform.
For this first official ceremony, the works of the award-winning and finalist photographers were presented to the public, revealing a succession of artistic worlds, sensibilities and emotions. Together, they reminded us that contemporary photography is no longer simply about capturing reality. It tells stories, raises questions, evokes emotion and creates new ways of imagining the world.
The venue itself set the tone. The evening unfolded within the artistic universe of Laurence Jenkell, the renowned French contemporary artist internationally celebrated for her monumental sculptures and her iconic artistic language surrounding the “Wrapping Bonbon.”
A member of the jury and artistic partner of the event, Laurence Jenkell supports the Art Vision Awards in their ambition to build bridges between creative disciplines. Her gallery provided a natural meeting point between photography and contemporary art, in a setting where creativity was omnipresent.
The jury for this edition reflected the same diversity. Alongside Laurence Jenkell were creative director Jean-Baptiste Fort, photographer and visual artist Dan Oliver, creative director Aïna Zovko, actor and photographer François Vermeersch, and model and visual storyteller Mark Jack.
Different perspectives, united by the same belief: a great image is, above all, a vision.
The ceremony honored the winners of two editions of the competition.
For Human Presence, First Prize went to Victor Nassia, whose black-and-white portrait captivated the jury with its delicacy and almost cinematic quality. Azim Khan Ronnie took Second Prize with a striking composition in which traditional craftsmanship becomes almost abstract, while Alexia Vic completed the podium with an intense portrait driven by flowers, color and the power of the gaze.
For the Portrait edition, First Prize was awarded to Japanese photographer Risa Kitamura for Illusion of Justice. Roberto Flores received Second Prize for Life Between the Tides, while Dominique Jaussein took Third Prize for Bisous d’une Grand-mère Mentawai.
No Cannes evening would be complete without fashion. The Art Vision Awards therefore chose to bring the still image into dialogue with the movement and energy of a fashion show by Mina Binebine.
Trained in Los Angeles and based in Marrakech, the Moroccan designer creates fashion that blends artisanal heritage with modernity. Corsetry, tailoring, hand embroidery and intricate beadwork shape sculptural, sensual and confident silhouettes.
Presented in Marrakech, Paris, Los Angeles, New York and Saudi Arabia, her creations embody a vision of contemporary fashion that is bold, sophisticated and international.
The fashion show was produced in partnership with The Direction Group, an international agency specializing in events, creative direction and marketing, founded and led by Aïna Zovko. Active in Morocco and internationally, the agency develops major creative and event projects at the intersection of image, fashion and experience.
As a member of the jury for this edition of the Art Vision Awards International Photography Competition, Aïna Zovko also contributed to bringing creativity, photography and artistic direction together at the heart of the event.
Dancers from Fiesta 4 Event, music by DJ Rita Warhol, carefully curated scenography, and presenter and jet-setter Laurent Amar at the microphone all contributed to creating a festive, elegant and distinctly lifestyle atmosphere.
On the visual side, photographer Philip Andrukhovich, renowned for his luxury portraits and coverage of events across the Côte d’Azur, captured the highlights of this inaugural ceremony.
A long-standing partner of the event, Miami Soul also accompanied the evening with its energizing and revitalizing drink, formulated without taurine or caffeine and crafted with baobab, maté and ginseng. A distinctive signature perfectly in keeping with an event defined by creativity, energy and well-being.
Within this Cannes setting, the image became a common language shared by artists, creators and the public.
This first ceremony is only the beginning. The Art Vision Awards are continuing their international expansion with a new Fashion, Street & Editorial competition, open to photographers from around the world until October 31, 2026.
Through its competitions, magazine, social media platforms and upcoming events, the organization aims to create far more than an award: a true international ecosystem designed to connect talent, encourage artistic dialogue and give new visions the opportunity to travel across borders.
After Cannes, one thing is certain: photography now has a new destination on the Croisette.
And the journey has only just begun.
credits photos Philip Andrukhovich
@philip_andrukhovich
