Berlin. On the evening of October 7, 2021, the winner
of the Preis der Nationalgalerie was announced at Hamburger Bahnhof –
Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this
year, the BMW Group Cultural Engagement supports the Preis der
Nationalgalerie for over 15 years now.
The jury, consisting of Emre Baykal, chief curator,
Arter, Istanbul; Sven Beckstette, curator at
Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin; Gabriele
Knapstein, director, Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart
– Berlin; Emma Lavigne, president, Palais de Tokyo,
Paris and Yesomi Umolu, director curatorial affairs
and public practice, Serpentine Galleries, London, decided after
intense discussions on Sandra Mujinga (born 1989 in Goma, Democratic
Republic of the Congo) as the prize winner. With the award Mujinga
wins a major solo exhibition next year in one of the Nationalgalerie’s
institutions as well as an accompanying publication.
“The jury has decided to award this year’s Preis der Nationalgalerie
to Sandra Mujinga. Sandra Mujinga works across a variety of media,
with her presentation at Hamburger Bahnhof placing a focus on her
sculptural practice. On the one hand, the works display a great
sensibility for craft and materiality. Yet, with them, Mujinga is also
able to reconcile contradictory experiences: ostensibly familiar forms
disappear before we are able to grasp them; her spectral figures
appear ominous, but also seem to offer their protection; although
static, they exhibit an inherent dynamism; and they are both finished,
but also seemingly in a state of becoming. Her negotiation of these
contradictions opens up a space for imagination on the part of the
viewer. The topics addressed by her works resonate greatly with the
present moment, while also seeming to come from a future already
passed. They remind us to be considerate of other living beings for
the sake of our own survival, and that we can observe and learn from
their various strategies of adapting to an ever-changing world”,
stated the jury in its unanimous decision.
“Since 2013, after being awarded the Preis der Nationalgalerie,
Marianna Castillo Deball, Anne Imhof, Agnieszka Polska, and Pauline
Curnier Jardin have come up with incredibly impressive presentations
for the Hamburger Bahnhof. I would like to give my sincerest thanks to
the members of the jury for today’s lively discussion and congratulate
Sandra Mujinga, whose exhibition we will now spend the coming year
preparing,” stated Dr Gabriele Knapstein, head of Hamburger
Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin.
Dr Nicolas Peter, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG,
Finance, said about the newly announced winner, “Looking at
past nominees and their later careers, the significance of the
shortlist has become very clear. As long-standing partner, we would
like to warmly congratulate Sandra Mujinga as this year’s winner. We
are very much looking forward to her upcoming exhibition.”
In addition to Sandra Mujinga, the shortlisted artists for this
year’s Preis der Nationalgalerie included Calla Henkel Max
Pitegoff, Sung Tieu and Lamin Fofana. Their works will be presented as
part of a group exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart
– Berlin until February 27, 2022. During this period, visitors will be
given the opportunity to vote for their favorite at www.tip-berlin.de.
Following the exhibition of the shortlisted artists, all votes will be
counted and the winner of the audience award will be announced. Among
all participants tipBerlin raffles one of the limited BMW Art Car
miniatures of the 1975 designed BMW Art Car by Alexander Calder. With
his design for the BMW 3.0 CSL, the artist laid the foundation for
what is today internationally known as the BMW Art Car Collection.
After the award ceremony, more than 250 international guests and
friends of the Nationalgalerie celebrated the winner Sandra Mujinga
with the longstanding partner BMW.
The Preis der Nationalgalerie was founded in 2000 by Freunde der
Nationalgalerie and supported by BMW as exclusive partner for 15 years
now. The award focuses on young important positions of today. Eligible
are artists of all nationalities who at the time of their nomination
live and work in Germany and are under the age of 40. Previous
awardees amongst others were Monica Bonvicini (2005), Cyprien Gaillard
(2011), Anne Imhof (2015), Agnieszka Polska (2017) and Pauline Curnier
Jardin (2019).
For further information and image material, please visit the press
section of www.preisdernationalgalerie.de
or www.smb.museum.
For further questions please contact:
Prof. Dr
Thomas Girst
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Head of Cultural Engagement
Telephone: +49 89 382 247
53
Email: Thomas.Girst@bmwgroup.com
www.press.bmwgroup.com
Email:
presse@bmw.de
Dr Fiona Geuss
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Preußischer
Kulturbesitz
Press Officer Nationalgalerie
Telephone: +49 30
3978 34 17
Email: presse@smb.spk-berlin.de