Marking the bicentenary of photography, the BMW ART MAKERS programme announces artist Lara Tabet and curator Yasmine Chemali as the winners of its 2026 edition. Their research-led project, Le corps vitré, proposes a powerful dialogue between photography, biology and ecology, rethinking contemporary image-making through experimental processes that bring living organisms into the heart of artistic creation. Developed as part of BMW’s long-standing commitment to contemporary photography, the project will culminate in two major exhibitions at Les Rencontres d’Arles and Paris Photo, reaffirming the programme’s role as a key platform for innovative artist-curator collaborations.
Artist Lara Tabet and curator Yasmine Chemali have been named winners of the BMW ART MAKERS programme to develop their project “Le corps vitré”. This artistic project is a new experiment and the result of their collaboration. The programme will culminate in two original exhibitions at Les Rencontres d’Arles and Paris Photo, further strengthening BMW’s long-standing partnerships with both events.
The jury was composed of Pascal Beausse (Head of the Photography Collection at the Centre National des Arts Plastiques), Florence Bourgeois (Director of Paris Photo), Andreina de Bei (Photo Director and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sciences et Avenir), Hervé Digne (President of Poush-Manifesto), Chantal Nedjib (Founder of Image par l’image), Christoph Wiesner (Director of Rencontres d’Arles), and Maryse Bataillard (Head of Corporate Communications and CSR at BMW Group France).
“We are delighted with this appointment, which recognises a long-standing collaboration fuelled by a shared migratory journey from Beirut to the south of France. On the occasion of the Bicentenary of Photography, we are delighted to be able to develop a project that questions the permeability of bodies through a feminist approach that decentres the human scale while celebrating the hybrid nature of the photographic medium, right from its origins. The BMW ART MAKERS programme, which emphasises collaborative work carried out by a duo, seems to us to be the ideal context for bringing to fruition a curatorial and artistic project that resonates with the challenges of life, image and contemporary ecologies.”
Artist Lara Tabet and curator Yasmine Chemali
The “Le Corps Vitré” Project
“Le corps vitré” is a research and creative project led by artist and biologist Lara Tabet, in collaboration with exhibition curator Yasmine Chemali, which will be developed as part of the BMW ART MAKERS programme. At the crossroads of art, biomedical sciences and ecology, the project explores the relationships between living beings, images and the environment through an experimental process of bacteriography. Using microbiological samples taken from aquatic environments located at the interface between natural spaces and industrial infrastructure, Lara Tabet develops images resulting from the direct interaction between micro-organisms and photosensitive surfaces. This protocol, at the crossroads of scientific research and artistic creation, makes the images the result of a co-production between the artist and living organisms, where time, light and micro-ecosystems become active agents of form.
For the exhibition produced by BMW ART MAKERS, these imprints of life are transposed into contemporary stained-glass windows, making a transition from the biological to the mineral, via the digital, and inscribing the images within a longer, more enduring timescale. Combining photography, glass and light, “Le corps vitré” questions the ability of images to make often invisible ecosystems visible and to become a tool for highlighting current environmental issues.
At BMW, we firmly believe that arts patronage is an essential source of innovation and cultural expression. This award, which supports both the artist and the curator, illustrates our desire to support ambitious and innovative projects that push the boundaries of contemporary creation. For BMW, this programme is much more than just financial support: it is a commitment to promoting diversity of talent and actively participating in the artistic dynamic, while fostering a fruitful dialogue between art, science and society. By offering this framework of freedom and resources, we enable artists to bring to life works that enrich our view of the world and inspire future generations.”
Maryse Bataillard, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR, BMW Group France
Each year, the projects received during the call for applications reflect the trends and topics explored by artists. Out of more than 210 submissions, the five finalist duos selected were required to provide a statement of intent, a budget, a production schedule, a set design proposal and portfolios of their previous work. The projects presented revealed a wide variety of profiles and works, with 63 per cent mixed duos, 25 per cent female duos and 12 per cent male duos. Nearly half of the duos were French, with the other half comprising international artists and curators from more than 36 countries.
This year’s submitted projects address a variety of themes, focusing on the environment, people, living things, memory and history, with a strong link to the bicentenary of photography, which inspires reflections on its heritage and evolution. They showcase a wide variety of practices, ranging from traditional photography to contemporary technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality. The formats combine photography, sound, video and installation, exploring both the photographic medium and innovative narrative and spatial experiences. This edition confirms the focus on diversity and the evolution of visual practices.
The initial selection of projects was made by a preliminary jury of visual arts professionals comprising Fabrice Laroche (Editor-in-chief of Fisheye Magazine), Maud Prangey (Image and Contemporary Art Consultant, Marie Valat (Marie Valat Agency and Head of Contemporary Art Exhibitions for Maison Auguste Comte), and Emmanuelle Vieillard (Exhibition Curator at the Nicéphore Niépce Museum).
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