The Robert Koch Gallery is pleased to announce that gallery artist Matt Black has been named a 2025 MacArthur Fellow, recipient of the prestigious John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, widely known as the “genius grant.” The award recognizes his extraordinary body of work chronicling America’s social and environmental dilemmas.

The Fellowship honors accomplished individuals who have demonstrated exceptional originality and dedication in their creative pursuits, with the potential for continued outstanding self-directed work. Recipients are selected through an anonymous nomination and review process by leaders in their respective fields.

Matt Black’s photography is distinguished by its profound depth, singular vision, and unwavering commitment to socially and ecologically urgent subject matter. His deeply rooted, cohesive projects address complex issues with empathy and clarity, making him not only a remarkable artist and image-maker but also an essential voice in the ongoing dialogue around environmental and social justice.

It has been the gallery’s privilege to represent Matt Black and share his work with wider audiences through exhibitions and art fairs. His photography, both timely and timeless, possesses the same resonance and moral urgency as that of the great social documentary photographers of the Depression era, while remaining wholly contemporary and uniquely his own.

Read more about the award here.