For the first time since Zoulika Bouaddellah’s success at the inaugural edition of the Prix Meurice in 2008, the prize has been awarded to a female artist. This year’s winner, Lola Gonzàlez, is represented by Marcelle Alix gallery and succeeds Saadane Afif who was awarded the prize last year.
The ever-prestigious jury, presided by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, selected a range of artists working with some of the most dynamic galleries in the Parisian art scene.
Six finalists were selected for the prize’s ninth edition: Angelica Mesiti from Allen Gallery, Moussa Sarr from VNH Gallery, Thun Van Tran from Meesen de Clercq Gallery, Katinka Bock from Jocelyn Wolff Gallery, Julien Discrit from Anne-Sarah Bénichou Gallery and this year’s winner. The artist and the gallery have both been awarded €10,000 to help fund a new creative project abroad.
Gonzàlez, who participated in the Do Disturb festival at the Palais de Tokyo last April, was awarded the prize for a dance-based project that she will develop in Los Angeles, where she will be in residence from February to April 2017 at the France Los Angeles Exchange (FLAX). The artists plans to "to create a new in situ project inspired by the landscape of the city. The project will be based on the participation of professional and non-professional dancers culminating in a free public performance in July 2017. Lola is starting a new collaborative process with two Los Angeles-based artists, choreographer and dancer Oguri and composer and sound designer Paul Chavez. The participants will attend workshops led by professional dancers providing space for reflection about the body, Butoh dance, and the local landscape. The performance will also be the set of a new video artwork by Lola Gonzàlez."
Next year's nominees will receive €1,000 in advance in order to help finance their project.
Mark Geffriaud, winner of the 2014-2015 edition of the prize, is currently on show at Plateau - Frac île-de-France.
