Brandenburg relaunches art prize with new focus on artistic positions

The Brandenburg state government in Germany has reintroduced its art prize with a redesigned concept aimed at bolstering the region's art scene. Culture Minister Manja Schüle stated that art sometimes needs to justify its existence, noting that cultural spaces are becoming more restricted in some societal areas. The revamped prize seeks to honor artistic positions, moving away from recognizing single works to embrace the multimedia nature of contemporary art.

The prize will now be awarded every two years at the State Museum of Modern Art in Cottbus. A digital application platform is available for artists born in Brandenburg, residing there, or creating their art within the state. "The art that arises here should radiate beyond our state," Minister Schüle declared. This year, after a hiatus, 166 applications were received for the prize.

Three individual prizes, each worth 10,000 euros, were awarded for outstanding artistic positions. Maren Strack, who combines sculpture, performance, dance, film, and sound, Peter Rohn, known for his colorful paintings of Potsdam, and Gabriele Konsor, who creates drawings, installations, and photographs, were the recipients. The jury praised Rohn's work for blending reality with imaginative dreamscapes.

Additionally, the lifetime achievement award, endowed with 15,000 euros, was presented to artist Christa Jeitner. Museum director Ulrike Kremeier noted Jeitner's departure from classical painting, embracing the sewing machine over the drawing board, and described her work as "ageless" and of high quality. A newcomer prize of 10,000 euros went to the artist collective of Lydia Schellhammer and Christ Mukenge.