Running for its seventh consecutive year, Earth Partner, the sustainability division of Art Partner, has joined forces with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), inviting global artists aged 14-30 to submit artwork that comments on any aspect of climate and the environment.

With a globally recognised panel of heavyweight judges including Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director of The Serpentine and President of the Jury of the Architecture Biennale in Venice) and Giovanni Testino (Founder of Art Partner), the edition's timing was mindful of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference 2025 (UNFCCC COP 30), taking place in Belém, Brazil, in November.

With a record number of submissions from more than 110 countries, and six out of eight winners being from the Global South, the resulting body of work is intimate yet deeply expansive — moving, provoking, enraging, and inspiring in equal measure. True to its mission, the Earth Partner Prize maintains a distinct focus on voices from the global majority, often unrepresented in both climate and artistic conversations. "In judging the works," juror Hans Ulrich Obrist said, "one of the main criteria for me has been: how do these projects address the need to move away from short-termism and lead us in thinking with a long-term lens?"

Invited by Earth Partner, we highlight three projects that point toward new ways of seeing our climate crisis.

CIRCULAR HEROES
Ruby Okoro

A powerful photographic project that celebrates the contributions of young people from Isale Akoka, Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria, to the global circular economy. Nestled on a vibrant island known for its unique ecosystem, this community thrives on transforming waste materials from the surrounding lagoon into innovative and valuable products – from landfilling solutions and building materials to electronic repairs and artistic creations like musical instruments and fashion.

“Rafael Kouto collaborated with Peter D. Abayomi, a dignitary of Bariga, whose visionary initiatives bridge the gap and address waste management and environmental sustainability concepts within the community. Through photography, I aim to rekindle awareness among young people in the community and participants across Lagos, fostering pride, recognition, and visibility for their valuable contributions.”

— Ruby Okoro

ISLAND TIME FORGOT
Igor Furtado and Labō Young

The series explores the drifts between memory and myth through the history and landscape of the Cayman Islands. Once a self-sustained seafaring community, islanders crafted clothing, accessories, and everyday items from the fronds of the Silver Thatch Palm.

Composed entirely of natural elements, Island Time Forgot highlights the enduring significance of traditional craftsmanship, enriched by the exchange of nationalities transiting through the islands. These distant yet interconnected experiences weave an enchanted narrative where the boundaries of time and place seem suspended.

“Our work is not confined to a single style, drawing from elements of documentary and fantasy. This range is influenced by photographers as Lionel Wendt, Sandra Eleta and Gertrudes Altschul, whose approaches used to question the contradictions of what’s understood as ephemeral and eternal, seeking to redefine how reality itself was perceived; Past, present and future coexisting in a continuous loop.”

— Igor Furtado and Labō Young

THE FINITE IN THE INFINITE
Dieter Vlasich and Nimie Li

Drawing from exposure to the global north and south in his upbringing and training in haute couture, fashion designer Dieter Vlasich connects craft techniques with contemporary design to create work that values both tradition and innovation. Through his work, Vlasich redefines design and art as acts of ecological care and cultural continuity, keeping the human hand central while fostering connections with the natural world through materiality, process, and story.

For this series, Vlasich collaborated with photographer Nimie Li, whose practice engages with the anthropology of identity, intersectionality, and belonging. Through an intimate visual methodology, Li seeks to document and reflect on marginalised narratives, attending to the nuances of representation and visibility.

“This project records a chapter of ongoing textile collaborations with the community of Piste in Yucatan, working with photographer Nimie Li to document playful and intimate moments of the artisans and their families, weaving the threads of generational knowledge, craft, and the natural environment, whilst placing the community at the forefront.”

— Dieter Vlasich

Earth Partner Prize Announces The 2025 Winners Shaping The Future Of Climate

Born in Cairo