Contemporary art award for young artists goes to Pauline Curnier Jardin
Every two years, four artists under the age of 40 and based in Germany are nominated for the prestigious Preis der Nationalgalerie award. The 2019 winner is French artist Pauline Curnier Jardin.
Four under 40
All four nominees have international careers and created their art in Germany. All are under 40 (from left to right): Pauline Curnier Jardin from France, Simon Fujiwara from the UK, Flaka Haliti from Kosovo and Katja Novitskova from Estonia. On September 12, Jardin was announced as the winner of the National Gallery Prize, awarded every two years.
Winner of the National Gallery Prize: Pauline Curnier Jardin
Combining performance, installations and videos in her works, the French conceptual artist often revisits historical events, mythology and religion. "Grotta Profunda Approfundita," her installation at the 2017 Venice Biennale, is inspired by the story of Bernadette Soubirous, who in 1858 experienced the Marian apparitions known as Our Lady of Lourdes.
Simon Fujiwara
The 36-year-old artist describes his work as a mix of politics, architecture and biography. Fujiwara's installation "Empathy I" requires the viewer to select a number and wait before a ride on a 5D simulator. But instead of an entertaining spin like the ones you'd get in an amusement park, you are confronted with the real world. The works of the British artist have been shown at the Tate Modern.
Katja Novitskova
The 35-year-old Estonian artist is seen as a pioneer of "post-internet art." In the installation "Invasion Curves" from 2018, genetically modified life forms hatch from eggs among tangled cables. Novitskova's works deal with the transformation of organic life forms into digital ones. Her futuristic landscapes highlight how fluid the transition from the real to the virtual world has become.
Flaka Haliti
Having experienced flight and displacement personally, the 37-year-old female artist from Kosovo explores the concept of identity in a globalized world. Her work "Speculating on the Blue" was featured at the Venice Biennale in 2015. Those who entered the room with metal sculptures and white walls had blue sand sticking to their shoes afterwards and carryied it out of the Kosovo Pavilion with them.
On show at Hamburg Station
In an exhibition on show until February 16, 2020, the Hamburger Bahnhof Museum in Berlin features works by the four finalists nominated for the Preis der Nationalgalerie 2019. As the winner, Pauline Curnier Jardin will also be granted a solo exhibition in one of the National Gallery's venues.