Winner Announced: Photo London x Hahnemühle Student Award 2024

We are delighted to announce An Liu (UAL London College of Communication), as the winner of the 2024 Photo London  x Hahnemühle Student Award. An Liu was shortlisted for her project ‘Weaving the World’, in which she skilfully merges portraiture, documentary, and staged photography with a soft, dreamy visual style. 

An Liu is a London-based photographer whose soft and dreamy visual style blends portraiture, documentary, and staged photography. After graduating from Wuhan University in 2016 with a degree in Computer Science, An Liu pursued a more creative path and began working in fashion and commercial photography in China. She developed her skills further during the MA course in Commercial Photography at the London College of Communication (UAL) in 2022-23, which sparked her interest in narrative projects. An discovered her unique voice during her MA studies, delving into personal and collective stories and exploring empathy and connection through photography.

‘Weaving the World’ is a long term project delving into the lives of her grandmother and elderly relatives, illuminating the isolating experiences of aging.  An Liu captures the daily struggles that seniors face, and their efforts to re-establish a tangible connection with the world. Simultaneously, she integrates herself into the narrative, playing childhood games with elderly relatives to create a vibrant dreamscape within the stream of time. Dreams merge with reality, and memories resonate with the present moment, revealing a warm heart at the core of a seemingly sombre theme. Furthermore, metaphors within the images hint at deeper questions surrounding individual narratives, history, and memory, shedding light on the broader discourse surrounding issues faced by the elderly.

As winner An Liu will  receive a trip to the Hahnemühle mill in Germany and the printing of 5-10 artworks on her preferred Hahnemühle papers, either at the Hahnemühle UK office or at a Hahnemühle Certified Studio.

‘I think it’s fair to say how proud we all are that the competition has grown in entries this year and what an incredibly high standard of photography we reviewed. It’s a real testament to the talent and commitment of the student photographers but also to the quality of tutoring they’re benefiting from across the country.’ – Judging Chair, Fiona Shields, Head of Photography, The Guardian

A huge well done to all shortlisted students, including: Ada Marino (University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea), Africa Barrero-Alexander (The University of the West of England), Ben Hubert (Arts University Bournemouth), and Emi O’Connell (UAL London College of Communication). 

In addition to the winner selected by the Hahnemühle Student Award’s  independent jury, this year’s competition is open to the public to select the People’s Choice winner. Please choose your favourite shortlisted artists and cast your vote here.