On May 7, Artes Mundi, the U.K.’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 recognized 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, with all other shortlisted artists receiving £2,000 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 Oct. 25, 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).
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 U.K. 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, June, 28, 2013. For full details and to nominate, visit artesmundi.org.