2026 Outstanding Contribution to Photography: Joel Meyerowitz
© Joel Meyerowitz, New York City, 1975
Born in New York City, USA in 1938, Joel Meyerowitz studied painting and medical drawing at Ohio State University before working as an advertising art director. After watching the Swiss-American photographer Robert Frank shoot an advertising project for him in 1962, Meyerowitz immediately quit his job and went out onto the streets with a borrowed camera and two rolls of colour film, and embarked on a career that would make an indelible mark on the medium.
While his early work was in colour, he later added black and white to his photography. Meyerowitz’s work forms an integral part of the American photographic canon – it has appeared in over 350 exhibitions in museums and galleries across the world, and has been published in 57 monographs. Driven by the desire for continual learning, Meyerowitz doesn’t confine himself to a single genre, instead experimenting with street photography, portraits, and landscapes.
© Joel Meyerowitz, Darrell, Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1983
Commenting on his acceptance of the award, Joel Meyerowitz says: ‘I am honoured to be selected as this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography recipient. The photographs I have made over the years show the world as I see it, and the moments of beauty, humour and fun that can be found everywhere, if we take the opportunity to look. I hope this exhibition will encourage visitors to look again at their surroundings and engage with all of the life that unfolds around them.’
© Joel Meyerowitz, Central Park, New York City, 1966
A retrospective of works by Joel Meyerowitz will be shown at Somerset House, London, as part of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 exhibition. This showcase offers an insight into the spirit and curiosity that has characterised his practice for the past six decades. Through video and audio installations, Meyerowitz invites visitors to see from his vantage point, recalling the sense of wonder he experienced seeing the scenes in his images for the first time. A special talk with Joel Meyerowitz will take place on 21 April 2026.
To be among the first to know when tickets to the Joel Meyerowitz talk go on sale, register your interest here.
