New Zealand photographer and represented artist Jono Rotman has been awarded the prestigious Image Vevey Book Award for 2017/2018 for his Mongrel Mob photographic series. Rotman has dedicated over 10 years exploring this subject matter which will now cumulate in the creation of a book project aided by the Amis d'Images. The award of a EUR 9,000 grant to assist in this publication was a unanimous decision by the jury. The jury consisting of artist Christian Marclay, Simon Baker (Curator of photography and international art, Tate London), Lars Boering (Managing Director, World Press Photo Amsterdam), Darius Himes (Head of Photographs, Christie’s New York), and Luce Lebart (Director of the Canadian Photography Institute) commented:
"In his work Rotman demonstrates an unusual and highly sophisticated sensitivity to the ethical and practical concerns associated with a documentary project of this scope. The result is both visually compelling and textually rich. Comprised of portraits, archival material, and a comprehensive series of interviews to be designed as a kind of handbook for the self-defined “Mongrel Mob”, a balance of form and content will ultimately define the finished book."
Rotman was selected as the sole winner from 194 applications submitted from 34 countries.
