Han Nefkens Foundation—in partnership with MACBA Barcelona, MUAC Mexico City, and The Bass Miami Beach—announces a new art initiative: The Han Nefkens Foundation, MACBA, Barcelona, MUAC, Mexico City and The Bass Miami—Moving Image Commission 2023.
The Moving Image Commission 2023 will be be an important resource and tool for increasing and supporting contemporary artistic production in the moving image field. This trans-institutional partnership is the inaugural edition of the commission: each will be biennial—starting in autumn 2023—and each edition will be guided by a thematic and investigative concept agreed upon by the three partner institutions.
The awardee (an artist or a collective of artists) will receive 100,000 USD for the production of a new work, which will be co-owned and presented by each of the partner institutions. Furthermore, one edition of the work will be included in their collections in the form of a co-ownership, bringing fresh discourses to the institutions while enabling a broader outreach for the work.
The Moving Image Commission involves the production of a screen-based video artwork, excluding feature-length documentary filmmaking. The award is intended to further the work of artists or collectives with a proven professional trajectory in this field of artistic practice who have not yet had an opportunity to present their work extensively, serving as an important source of support to enhance their career. There is no age, nationality, nor geographical restrictions for nominated artists and they do not need to be specialists in the theme of each edition, however related work or ongoing research is a plus.
Ecology is the concept for the first edition. The increasing urgencies related to the environmental crisis engulfing Planet Earth has amplified humankind’s unsustainable reliance on the natural habitat. In the name of unrelenting progress over the centuries, Earth has been pushed to its limits through unbridled exploitation of its natural resources. This has in turn led to the extreme weather conditions and pollution impacting daily life and thus the extreme social and economic inequalities. How can humankind come to terms with these conditions and create a path towards an ecological transition that reformulates the relationship between humans and nature?
Han Nefkens, Han Nefkens Foundation: “I’m excited to start this new commission. Not only because we will be collaborating with three renowned art institutions but also because the need to focus on ecology becomes every day more urgent. As our world faces unprecedented environmental crisis, I look forward to seeing how the chosen candidate will give form to this burning issue.”
Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of MACBA Barcelona: “MACBA is thrilled to be part of this trans-institutional initiative that generates a platform for critical dialogues between esteemed colleagues to reflect on urgent matters of our time and to support and accompany artists who will be key figures in this medium while fostering sustainable forms of collecting”
Amanda De La Garza Matam Director of MUAC Mexico DF: “For MUAC, participating in this joint initiative with two renowned museums and the Nefkens Foundation, is a key opportunity to engage in a relevant and productive dialogue, and at the same time to foster art works that can shape the conversation on critical issues of our times.”
Silvia Karman Cubiñá, Executive Director and Chief Curator of The Bass Miami, “The Bass is proud to be part of this new initiative with Han Nefkens Foundation, in partnership with MACBA Barcelona and MUAC Mexico City. The Moving Image Commission 2023 is an innovative framework to support commissioning new media works by international artists while taking the support a step further by providing a mechanism for the works to become part of museum collections.”
