JPI Oceans Names Winners of 15th Anniversary Contest
The international marine research initiative selected three works from 56 entries in its photo and art competition.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Photography
JPI Oceans announced three winners of its 15th anniversary photo and art contest, which invited artists and photographers to interpret its Joint Actions. A jury selected the winning works from 56 entries received over the summer.
Why it matters
The contest was held to connect with people outside regular interactions and bring them into the conversation on ocean issues. It offers a creative route into discussions about marine science and environmental stewardship.
The contest drew 56 entries and produced three winning works. The winning entries include a triptych made with a pen plotter and a photograph of cod larvae four millimetres long and three days old.
The players
JPI Oceans
A European joint programming initiative that coordinates research and innovation on ocean and marine issues among participating countries.
Sony World Photography Awards
An annual international photography competition run by the World Photography Organisation that recognises outstanding photographers across many categories.
The details
Pieter, of the Belgian organisation Seascape, created a triptych by transforming original images into sinusoidal line patterns with a Python script in Inkscape. Marine ecologist Stina of Aarhus University manually fertilised wild Faroese cod eggs and monitored them until hatching, while Vietnamese amateur photographer Linh's entry earned first prize in the Vietnam National Award category of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026.
Timeline
Over the summer of 2026, JPI Oceans received its 56 contest entries.
On November 4, 2026, JPI Oceans announced the three contest winners.
Culture Shift
Using photography and art to communicate marine science reflects a growing practice of bringing research into public creative spaces. The contest extends JPI Oceans' work beyond scientific coordination into public engagement through visual storytelling.
Readers interested in photography can see how a single photographic technique, such as the pen plotter triptych, can convey complex scientific themes. The winning entries show that ordinary cameras and simple tools can produce work that informs public debate on ocean issues.
The takeaway
Creative projects can open doors for audiences who would not otherwise engage with marine science. Photographers and artists can use their work to bring attention to research on ocean health.
Further reading
Explore more photography techniques and creative projects.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Jpi-oceans.
