The Hidden and Unfamiliar ICP Infinity Awards and Gala

Taryn Simon,
White Tiger (Kenny), Selective Inbreeding, from An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar

I’m as big a fan of ICP as anyone, having been a grad student and then an administrator at the school for almost five years, but boy oh boy are those Infinity Awards a little rich for the likes of me! Tonight is the official gala event at Pier Sixty, and if you’d like to go, you may purchase a ticket for $1000. The benefit committee includes many fine folks; some of the names that pop out: Calvin Klein, Iman, and
Karen & William Lauder.

Even when I was an employee at ICP, these awards were elusive and mysterious, and tickets were not procurable. I think the assistants in the membership department were allowed to go and take coats. The nominating and selection committees are quite expansive, though, including Lesley Martin of Aperture, Jody Quon of New York Magazine, Alanna Heiss from P.S.1, Vladmir Birgus from the Prague Biennale Photo, and Stuart Alexander from Christies. See the whole list here.

The expressed point of the Infinity Awards, which were inaugurated in 1985, is to “bring public
attention to outstanding achievements in photography by honoring
individuals with distinguished careers in the field and by identifying
future luminaries.”

And here are the official selections:


Young Photographer: Mikhael Subotsky


Writing: Bill Jay

Publication: An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar by Taryn Simon


Art: Edward Burtynsky


Photojournalism: Anthony Suau


Applied/fashion/advertising photography: Craig McDean

The trustees also made three selections:

The Lifetime Achievement Award: Malick Sidibé
Cornell Capa Award: René Burri
ICP Trustees Award: Diane Keaton

I do love Diane Keaton, but I’m more enamored of the work by Taryn Simon, whose honored book An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar is truly fascinating and visually compelling. Shot almost entirely with a view camera, the 70 images documents “rarely seen sites from domains
including: science, government, medicine, entertainment, nature
security and religion. This index examines subjects that, while
provocative or controversial, are currently legal.”

A small selection:

Avian Quarantine Facility, Newburgh, NY

Forensic Anthropology Research Facility, Decomposing Corpse, Knoxville, TN

Live HIV, HIV Research Laboratory, Boston, MA

Transatlantic Submarine Cables Reaching Land, Avon, NJ