PinchukArtCentre Begins the Applications Procedure for the Future Generation Art Prize and Announces the International JurySource: . Author: January 18th, 2010

Beginning today, young artists throughout the world are invited to compete for the $100,000 Future Generation Art Prize, established by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. Applications can be uploaded for free on the competition’s globally accessible website: www.futuregenerationartprize.org. Established to discover and provide long-term support for a rising generation of artists, wherever they may live and work, this unique artist-focused prize aims to make a major contribution toward the production of new work by artists up to the age of 35.

Among the benefits of this new biennial award are a generous prize ($60,000 in cash and $40,000 toward production of new work); a group exhibition for the shortlisted artists at the PinchukArtCentre in Kiev, one of the largest and most active new contemporary art institutions in Eastern Europe; and mentorship by renowned artists including Andreas Gursky, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami.

At the same time as it has opened the applications process, the PinchukArtCentre has also announced the names of the art professionals who will serve as the international jury for the Prize. The jurors are:

• Daniel Birnbaum (Sweden) – Director of the Städelschule Art Academy, Frankfurt am Main; Director of the Venice Biennale 2009
• Okwui Enwezor (Nigeria) – Director of Documenta XI; Former Dean of Academic Affairs and Senior Vice President at San Francisco Art Institute
• Yuko Hasegawa (Japan) – Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT); former Chief Curator of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
• Ivo Mesquita (Brazil) – Chief Curator at the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo; Curator of the 2008 São Paolo Biennial
• Eckhard Schneider (Germany) – General Director of the PinchukArtCentre
• Robert Storr (USA) – Dean of the Yale University School of Art; Director of the Venice Biennale 2007
• Ai Weiwei (China) – artist

“We are delighted that such a distinguished group of representatives from the contemporary art world have agreed to form the international jury for the Future Generation Art Prize,” stated Eckhard Schneider, General Director of the PinchukArtCentre.  “Our ultimate goal is to provide sustainable support for the future generation, by bringing the most promising young artists into a network that includes curators, critics, educators, scholars, art patrons and some of the world’s most celebrated artists. Representing regions from across the globe, and with a wealth of knowledge and experience, our judges are a wonderful addition to this group.”

Artists may submit applications at www.futuregenerationartprize.org from January 18 through April 18, 2010.  The international jury will gather in Kiev and announce the Prize winner in December 2010.