Carmen Yahchouchi wins the Byblos Bank Award 2015.

Photo credit: Carmen Yahchouchi

And the winner for this year's award for Byblos Bank is Carmen Yahchouchi. Demonstrating spectacular consistency and depth in her work, Carmen joins the ranks of the previous winners; this year's crop was a very good one in variety and style.
Carmen says about this year's work: "Virtually every family in Lebanon has been touched by its history of conflict, and the deepest wounds are the psychological ones. Nothing is more poignant than the idea of wives and mothers who still own firearms, often the very guns their husbands and sons once carried – and not dissimilar from the weapons that killed them".
To give credit where credit is due, Byblos Bank has demonstrated a solid engagement vis a vis photographers in Lebanon and they are a vibrant part of the photomed manifestation that happens annually bringing high caliber photographers to our part of the world.
Carmen, but virtue of winning, will receive:
A Mentoring Program led by a career artist and focused on preparing the laureate for her or his first solo exhibition at Byblos Bank Headquarters
Launch of a Media Campaign to raise the profile of the winner and advertise his or her exhibition
Hosting and organization of a solo exhibition at Byblos Bank Headquarters
Publication of an Exhibition Catalog to further promote the photographer and spread awareness of his or her approach to the art.
I for one am excited about her solo show!
A big thank you for Nada, Rouba, and Karim from Byblos Bank for making this happen and for Geoana for the relentless updates all over social media - and of course for Mr. Semaan Bassil himself for the unwavering vision and commitment.
Here's to Carmen and on we go to another year!