Artes Mundi 6 opens for nominations
www.artesmundi.org
On May 7 Artes Mundi, the UK’s largest arts prize, begins a global open call for the nominations of artists for its next edition, Artes Mundi 6.
The Artes Mundi international exhibition and prize identifies and supports contemporary visual artists whose work engages with social reality, lived experience and the human condition. Artes Mundi accepts nominations from across the world for artists of any age, who are established in their own country or region and on the way to developing a high-profile international career.
All nominations are reviewed by two independent, internationally recognised curators who will shortlist between five to seven artists to take part in the biennial exhibition in 2014. One of the artists will receive the prize of 40,000 GBP, with all other shortlisted artists receiving 2,000 GBP each. Adam Budak, independent curator, and Sabine Schaschl, Director of Hauskonstruktiv, Zurich, will select the shortlist for Artes Mundi 6.
Artes Mundi is based in Wales and the 17-week biennial exhibition will take place from 25 October 2014 at Wales’s National Museum of Art under the roof of National Museum Cardiff. An international judging panel awards the Artes Mundi prize midway through the exhibition.
In 2012, Mexican artist Teresa Margolles was awarded the prize for Artes Mundi 5. Previous winners were Xu Bing (2004), Eija-Liisa Ahtila (2006), NS Harsha (2008) and Yael Bartana (2010).
Eija-Liisa Ahtila, winner of Artes Mundi 2, described winning the prize as “a fantastic experience.” She went on to comment, “the prize made it possible for me to concentrate on a more extensive three-year project, Where is Where, 2008. It also allowed me to meet other artists from around the world and see different approaches to making art.”
David Thorp, Associate Director of Artes Mundi, added, “the prize is a large one by UK standards. It is designed to allow the winner, at an important stage in their career, the freedom to develop substantial new work or the time to reflect their practice and move it forward.”
The closing date for nominations is Friday 28 June 2013. For full details and to nominate, visit www.artesmundi.org.
For further information, images or interviews please contact Artes Mundi, T 44 (0)29 2055 5300.
Artes Mundi is an international arts organisation based in Wales. Established in 2002, Artes Mundi is committed to supporting groundbreaking contemporary visual artists from around the world whose work engages with social reality, lived experience and the human condition. The prize is unique in setting this theme, with no restriction on age or nationality.
The first five Artes Mundi exhibitions have been a popular success with diverse audiences and particularly with young people. Public and curatorial events and education programmes take place in Wales during each exhibition and further touring and commissioning strands are being developed in between each biennial.
Artes Mundi is publicly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and by Cardiff City Council.
The Artes Mundi 6 exhibition will be held at Wales’s National Museum of Art, which showcases the full range of the nation’s world-class art collection under one roof at National Museum Cardiff. It will be set in the six impressive new contemporary art galleries—the biggest space of its kind in Wales.
Previously, the Museum had only one gallery to display its range of modern and contemporary art, which is one of the UK’s most important collections. This development gives the Museum nearly 800 square metres more space to show the strength and range of art produced in Wales since the 1950s, and how this relates to the international scene.
