Magnum Photos Photographer Profile

Peter van Agtmael 

American/Dutch, b. 1981 (Member) 

“ 
Photographs are monuments. ” 

Biography 

Peter van Agtmael was born in Washington DC in 1981. He studied history at Yale.

His work concentrates on America, looking at issues of conflict, history, memory, nationalism, militarism, race and class. He has worked extensively in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel/Palestine.

He has been awarded the W. Eugene Smith Grant, the ICP Infinity Award, the Lumix Freelens Award, the Aaron Siskind Grant, a Magnum Foundation Fellowship as well as multiple awards from World Press Photo.

His book, 'Disco Night Sept 11,' on America at war in the post-9/11 era was shortlisted for the 2014 Aperture/Paris Photo Book Award and named a ‘Book of the Year’ by The New York Times Magazine, Time Magazine, Mother Jones, and Vogue.

His second book, "Buzzing at the Sill," about America in the shadow of the wars, was shortlisted for the 2017 Rencontres D’Arles Book Award. It was named a “Book of the Year” by Time, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, Mother Jones, Internazionale and LensCulture.

He is a founder and partner of Red Hook Editions. Peter is a mentor in the Arab Documentary Photography Program in Beirut.

Peter joined Magnum Photos in 2008 and became a member in 2013.