/ 2026 / Architecture / Industrial

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Marcel van Beek, Germany
• Date of Photograph
  2022-2024
• Website
  https://www.marcelvanbeek.de
• Instagram
  @_marcel_van_beek_

"Monoliths of Power" captures the imposing presence of 20th-century industrial architecture through a lens of stark, sepia-toned minimalism. These structures, once the engines of economic progress, are reimagined as silent monuments to human ambition. By documenting the transition from functional giants to skeletal remains, the series explores the tension between the perceived permanence of steel and the inexorable erosion of time. The sequence concludes with a poignant coda of ruins—a final meditation on the fragility of our industrial legacy.

Marcel van Beek (b. 1990) is a contemporary fine art photographer whose work explores the intersection of functional landscapes and ecological transformation. His practice constitutes a meticulous study of space, navigating the boundaries between expansive landscapes and densifying cityscapes. In collaboration with scientific institutions like the UFZ Leipzig, he translates complex environmental systems into a reduced, painterly visual language. Van Beek’s work transcends traditional photography, offering a tactile, cinematic meditation on a world in flux.

Awards Curators' Pick, Artsy (2025)
Featured in "In Focus" programme, Singulart (2025)
2nd, 3rd Place Subcategories, Phi Photo Awards 2026
Multiple Platinum & Gold Winnings, MUSE Photography Awards 2026
2 Nominations, Fine Art Photography Awards 2026
Editors' Picks, LensCulture: Critics' Award (2026) & Minimalist Photography Awards (2026)