Shayan Sajadian wins
Foam Paul Huf Award 2026

Press release | Amsterdam, November 2026

A jury of five international photography editors, curators and specialists reviewed a total of 105 artist submissions, nominated by 24 nominators from around the world. The winner of the 20th edition of the Foam Paul Huf Award was announced at Paris Photo on Thursday 12 November.

The jury report states:

“There is a particular kind of honesty in photographs that do not try too hard to explain themselves. In Shayan's work, we encounter what I would describe as a quiet visual poetry. It is not photography for the sake of capturing an image. Each frame seems to hold something beyond what is immediately visible, allowing the viewer to enter a space of intimacy, uncertainty, and reflection. Equally important is the relationship between the photographer and the people he photographs. There is a sense of trust within the images, an openness that cannot simply be achieved through technical ability. It suggests that he is not merely observing the lives of others but was somehow part of the world he was documenting.”
– Aïda Muluneh, Chair of the Jury, on behalf of the jury.

Shayan Sajadian's reaction:

“Photography has always been a magical and unexpected experience for me — a way of stepping outside the safety of my own bubble and learning to see beyond it. What I find most extraordinary about the camera is its ability to reveal what had previously remained unseen, even to my own eyes.

Living and working in Iran, alongside the impact of sanctions and restrictions on communication, has always involved considerable challenges and a sense of isolation. These circumstances have not only distanced us from the rest of the world, but have also deepened the divisions between people within our own society, separating them across social, economic, cultural, and religious lines, and rendering many of them invisible. A significant part of my photographic practice has been devoted to confronting these divides and finding ways to bring people closer together by making their lives and experiences visible.

Receiving the Foam Paul Huf Award is a great honour for me, especially at a time when Iran is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Under these circumstances, having years of artistic work recognised and brought into view carries a significance that goes far beyond professional achievement.”

Foam's reaction:

"Twenty years of the Foam Paul Huf Award represent twenty years of creating opportunities for international photographic talent. At a time when geopolitical tensions, conflicts and fake news increasingly shape our perception of the world, it is more important than ever to provide a platform for photographers such as Shayan Sajadian, who shed light on the complexities of life and tell stories that often remain untold. We are proud that, through the continued commitment to the Foam Paul Huf Award and in collaboration with a renowned international jury, we have been able to contribute to the development of photographic talent from around the world for twenty years."
— Karin van Gilst, Director of Foam

The award

Shayan Sajadian will receive a solo exhibition at Foam in autumn 2027, a cash prize of €20,000, and a feature in Foam Magazine. As the 20th winner, Sajadian will see his name added to an impressive list of alumni.

Previous winners include Myriam Boulos (2025), Hiền Hoàng (2024), Felipe Romero Beltrán (2023), Lebohang Kganye (2022), Laia Abril (2020), Eric Gyamfi (2019), Daniel Shea (2018), Romain Mader (2017), Daisuke Yokota (2016), Momo Okabe (2015), Alex Prager (2012), Pieter Hugo (2008), and Taryn Simon (2007). The Foam Paul Huf Award is financially supported by Mentha.

About the jury

This award for talented upcoming photographers is organised annually by Foam and evaluated by an independent and renowned jury. The members of this year’s Foam Paul Huf Award are Aïda Muluneh (chair of the jury, Ethiopia), Ahmad Swaid (United Kingdom, UAE), Drew Sawyer (United States), Momo Okabe (Japan) and Sergio Valenzuela-Escobedo (France, Chile). 

About Shayan Sajadian

Shayan Sajadian (1994, Iran) is a self-taught photographer whose practice focuses on marginalised and overlooked communities in Iran. He studied architecture at the University of Art and Architecture of Shiraz before turning his attention primarily to photography. Sajadian’s photographic practice developed through a personal engagement with subjects surrounding addiction and social marginalization. His early work was rooted in his family history and gradually expanded through encounters with people living outside dominant social structures, including people affected by addiction, drug dealers, individuals involved in criminal activities, and others in conflict with social and legal systems. Working primarily through long-term documentary projects, Sajadian builds sustained relationships with his subjects and explores spaces and communities that are often difficult to access or rarely photographed. His approach combines documentary photography with an openness to imagination and surreal elements, allowing his images to exist between lived reality and subjective perception. His work has been exhibited at Photo London and in group exhibitions in Iran and has been featured by The Guardian, WePresent, and GQ Middle East.

International experts

To produce an internationally representative selection, Foam invited 24 nominators from various parts of the world. Specialists and experts in the field of photography were each asked to nominate five talented mid-career photographers from their region of expertise. The award is open to upcoming photographers of all ages, working in all photographic genres: from documentary or applied photography to journalistic or independent work. The winner’s work must exhibit clear visual language and contribute significantly to today's photographic community in both form and content.

Shortlist 2026

Salih Basheer, Inuuteq Storch, Xiaoxiao Xu, Shayan Sajadian, Sabelo Mlangeni

Nominators

Abdelrahiem Shadad, Amin Yousefi, Andréa Holzherr, Demet Yıldız Dinçer, Elias Redstone, Emese Mucsi, Ibi Ibrahim, Kalpesh Lathigra, Lassana Igo Diarra, Lise Li, Luis Juárez, Malcolm Dickson, Meaghan Looram, Michael Mack, Mika Kobayashi, Nadine Isabel Henrich, Nkule Mabaso, Noelle Théard, Paula Kupfer, Raquel Villarperez, Renée Mussai, Sarkar Protick, Sohee Kim and Zippora Elders.

About Paul Huf

The award is inspired by the Dutch photographer Paul Huf (1924 – 2002) and his open and enthusiastic approach to new photography and upcoming talent – which is parallel to Foam's mission. Paul Huf was known for his innovative photographic technique, and he was personally involved in the establishment of Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam in 2001.

Previous winners  

2025 - Myriam Boulos (1992, Lebanon)

2024 - Hiền Hoàng (1990, Vietman)

2023 - Felipe Romero Beltrán (1992, Colombia) 

2022 - Lebohang Kganye (1990, South-Africa) 

2021 - John Edmonds (1989, United States) 

2020 - Laia Abril (1986, Spain)  

2019 - Eric Gyamfi (1990, Ghana) 

2018 - Daniel Shea (1985, United States) 

2017 - Romain Mader (1988, Switzerland) 

2016 - Daisuke Yokota (1983, Japan) 

2015 - Momo Okabe (1981, Japan) 

2014 - Daniel Gordon (1980, United States) 

2013 - Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs (1979, Switzerland) 

2012 - Alex Prager (1979, United States) 

2011 - Raphaël Dallaporta (1980, France) 

2010 - Alexander Gronsky (1980, Estonia) 

2009 - Leonie Hampton (1978, United Kingdom) 

2008 - Pieter Hugo (1976, South Africa) 

2007 - Mikhael Subotzky (1981, South Africa) and Taryn Simon (1975, United States) 

A Collective Diary: Sexual Fantasies, by 19th Foam Paul Huf Award recipient Myriam Boulos, is currently on view at Foam until 20 January 2027.

Foam
Keizersgracht 609
1017 DS Amsterdam The Netherlands
+ 31 (0)20 5516500
www.foam.org