The Hugo Boss Prize, one of the most reputed awards in the art world, announced its nominees for 2020 edition. The coveted award carries prize money of $100,000 and a solo show at the Guggenheim Museum.
The Hugo Boss prize, established in 1966, is one of the most prestigious art awards in America. The award puts no restrictions on who can be nominated. Old, young, American, non-American, emerging, underrated – anyone can get nominated. In the past, its winners have included names like Matthew Barney, Anicka Yi, Simon Leigh and Danh Vo.
Here are the artists nominated this year:
- Nairy Baghramian, sculptor whose unique works combine mechanical and organic components. He is currently being showcased at the Venice Biennale.
- Kevin Beasley made headlines last year with his sound-and-sculpture artwork created solely out of cotton gin. The work explored the haunting legacy of the infamous cotton gin industry. At 35, he is also the youngest nominee this year.
- Deana Lawson, a well-known photographer. Lawson will be featuring a new set of pictures covering Africa in July next year. If won, she will become the first photographer to win the award.
- Elias Sime, Ethiopian artist known for assembling art from old computer parts. His travelling survey is currently at the Wellin Museum of Art. He is also working on a public garden at the Addis Ababa palace.
- Cecilia Vicuña, Chilean artist whose painting depicting her political involvement in the New York is currently featured in Museum of Modern Art. At 71, she is the oldest nominee this year.
- Adrián Villar Rojas, sculptor whose unique installation showcasing transience of materials is currently exhibited at a private museum in Shanghai.
The jury for the Hugo Boss prize includes Nancy Spector (chief curator and artistic director, Guggenheim), Katharine Brinson (contemporary art curator, also Guggenheim), Christopher Lew (Curator, Whitney), Nat Trotman (media curator, Guggenheim) and Julieta González (independent curator).
