Pooya Abbasian Wins 2025 Art & Environment Prize for Work on Digital Image Ecology

Pooya Abbasian, an artist of French-Iranian descent residing in Paris, has received the Art & Environment Prize 2025. This prestigious award, now in its third iteration, is bestowed by Lee Ufan Arles in collaboration with Maison Guerlain, recognizing contemporary artistic endeavors that tackle ecological and environmental issues. This year attracted an unprecedented 552 submissions, from which six finalists were selected: Abbasian, Dana Cojbuc, Virginie Ittah, Marie-Luce Nadal, Ana Sant’Anna, and Laure Wants. Their artwork delves into the interplay of art, science, and nature. The jury, led by artist Lee Ufan, included notable figures such as Clément Chéroux and filmmaker Charlotte Le Bon. Abbasian’s work investigates the transformation and dissemination of images within digital and socio-political frameworks, and his forthcoming residency, Séneçon, will address wild plants often labeled as weeds, emphasizing themes of migration and ecological memory. The award entails curatorial and institutional backing for a project culminating in a solo exhibition in summer 2026.