Magnum Welcomes Two New Members and Two Nominees

Magnum photographers, estates, and staff reconvened for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) — a tradition that has taken place each year since the cooperative’s founding in 1947. Over the course of the week, photographers and agency staff discussed business and priorities in Arles, led by Cristina De Middel, the current president. This year’s AGM was organized in partnership with Fujifilm, marking a new milestone in their long-term collaboration. The group picture was shot with a Fujifilm GFX100 II.

A key item on the agenda is always the potential for new additions to Magnum’s membership. As an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographers, Magnum has a structured process for introducing new members. Photographers first join the organization as nominees, before progressing to become associates, and then finally gaining admission to the collective as full, lifelong members — a process that takes four years. The entire membership votes on new additions at each stage of progression.

This year, Magnum welcomes two new nominees, Salih Basheer and Sakir Khader, who will both embark on the minimum four-year process of becoming full Members of the cooperative.

Salih Basheer is a 29-year-old self-taught photographer from Sudan, now based in Denmark. He covered revolution and protest in Sudan before embarking on long-term projects such as “The Home Seekers” in Egypt, which follows the lives of two Sudanese men as they embark on new lives in Cairo. His debut photobook, 22 Days in Between, published in 2023, was the first ever photobook published by a Sudanese photographer. It also won the Les Rencontres d’Arles Photo-Text Book Award the same year.

Sakir Khader is a 33-year-old Palestinian documentary photographer and film director based in the Netherlands. Covering life and death in conflict zones forms the crux of his practice, concentrating on countries in the Middle East. Khader has also been documenting extensively in Palestine. Known for his raw yet intimate cinematic signature style, his practice seeks to illuminate the poetic sorrows of everyday life.

“It is beautiful to see the Magnum family grow in diversity and richness with such two new and powerful voices,” says Cristina de Middel. “I hope Sakir and Salih feel welcomed and supported in this new stage of their careers. I have no doubt that they will contribute significantly to our agency’s historic commitment to documenting the world we live in and explaining it with real photographic images.”

In addition to the new nominees, Magnum welcomes Sabiha Çimen and Yael Martínez as full Members. Both Çimen and Martínez became nominees in 2020 and associate members in 2022.

As well as the annual vote on membership, the AGM is a creative meeting of minds — an opportunity for the entire cooperative to reflect back on the past year and exchange ideas about the future. 

For Magnum x AGM in Arles, a series of events open to the public are being held throughout the week, including the MxA Pop-Up Space, located at 15 rue des Arènes, 13200 Arles, where an exhibition curated by Myriam Boulos and Peter van Agtmael will be on view, exploring international events that shape and disrupt the world. A series of meet-and-greets and signings with Magnum photographers, a pop-up shop, and an exclusive celebration for the 10th anniversary of Magnum Square Prints will also take place throughout the week. 

As part of the global partnership with Fujifilm, a range of activities will take place at the FUJIKINA space, located at 16 rue des Arènes. In the Magnum Connection exhibition, curated by Philipp Ebeling, Magnum photographers Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael, Lorenzo Meloni and Lúa Ribeira were each invited to make a new series around the theme “connection.” Accompanying the exhibition is a Live Commission. Each photographer will continue their series in the region, offering the public an opportunity to discuss the work in progress. The Live Commission closing will reveal the work created throughout the week. 

As part of the partnership with Fujifilm, Morning Talks with Magnum photographers feature Carolyn Drake, Peter van Agtmael, Lorenzo Meloni, and Lúa Ribeira for a daily dose of inspiration as they each host a talk around their personal work. Cristina de Middel, Magnum president, will also host a talk on her Journey to the Center series, exhibited at the Rencontres d’Arles photo festival. 

Additionally, Magnum Learn and Fujifilm have organized a series of Free Portfolio Reviews with Newsha Tavakolian, Rafał Milach, Emin Özmen, Thomas Dworzak, Larry Towell, Susan Meiselas and Sonia Jeunet, Global Education Director at Magnum.

Next year’s AGM will return to New York. News of the submission process for new nominees will be communicated in the new year.