Basim Magdy awarded Helmut-Kraft-Art Prize 2026

The Helmut-Kraft-Stiftung and the Museum für Neue Kunst in Freiburg im Breisgau are pleased to announce that Basel-based artist and filmmaker Basim Magdy (b. 1977) has been awarded the prestigious Helmut-Kraft Art Prize 2026.

The annual prize honors contemporary artists whose work demonstrates outstanding artistic independence, high quality, and a promising vision for the future. The foundation’s board commends Magdy’s multidisciplinary oeuvre, which has captivated audiences for years through its distinctive visual language. With this award, Magdy joins a distinguished list of previous laureates, including Hans Haacke, Rosemarie Trockel, Anselm Kiefer, Imi Knoebel, Karin Sander, Havîn Al-Sîndy, Gerold Miller, Nicole Wermers, and Peter Stauss.

The art prize is uniquely structured to ensure the long-term institutional presence of the laureate. It takes the form of a targeted purchase of a major work, which is donated as a permanent gift to a public museum. For 2026, the prize funds the acquisition of Magdy’s interactive installation, PINGPINPOOLPONG, or How I Learned to Laugh at Failure. Currently on view in the special exhibition SPIELFELD. Sport & Kunst, the installation will officially join the collection of the Museum für Neue Kunst. This acquisition expands the museum's holdings with a large-scale, interactive work that directly engages the public.

PINGPINPOOLPONG transforms a standard ping-pong game into an unpredictable experience. The modified table features multiple billiard-like holes and interchangeable sculptural obstacles that deflect the ball in chaotic directions, instantly rendering conventional rules obsolete. Accompanied by instructional rules on the wall, the installation prompts visitors to laugh at failure, embrace chance, and celebrate together—regardless of who wins or loses. Christine Litz, Director of the Museum für Neue Kunst, highlights the transformative potential of the work: “Because the game resists standard play, we are challenged to invent new approaches. How do we navigate these unexpected barriers? What if we embraced these obstacles as 'new friends'? Ultimately, what happens when we lean into our individual physical capabilities, honoring them as unique strengths while transforming the game into a deeply shared experience that allows us to perceive one another in a completely fresh light?”

Basim Magdy’s works are exhibited internationally across major institutions and museums. His work is represented in renowned public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Turin, Sharjah Art Foundation in Sharjah, UAE and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.