Four women finalists for Berlin’s coveted Preis der Nationalgalerie

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For the first time in the history of the prize, four women artists have been chosen as the finalists of the 2017 edition of the Preis der Nationalgalerie. Sol Calero (Venezuela), Iman Issa (Egypt), Jumana Manna (US) and Agnieszka Polska (Poland) will show their work as part of a group exhibition at Berlin’s Hamburger Bahnhof, running from September 29 to January 14, 2018.

Sol Calero (b. 1982) is represented by London gallery Laura Bartlett. As for Iman Issa, (b. 1979) she is represented by Carlier Gebauer in Berlin and Rodeo in London. Her work was recently on show at London’s Whitechapel Gallery, as part of the group exhibition “Imperfect Chronology - Mapping the Contemporary II”.

Sol Calero  La Sauna Caliente, feat. Blunt x Skensved, Conglomerate, Rubén D´Hers, Trevor Good, Cristian Guardia, Hanne Lippard, Dafna Maimon & Érika Ordosgoitti  / Installation view, KUB Projects, Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria, 2016

 

Jumana Manna (b.1987) will participate at the 57th edition of the Venice Biennale as one of the five artists working on the Nordic Pavilion. The artist, who has known very early success, was also featured at the 2016 edition of the Liverpool Biennial. She is represented by New York-based gallery, CRG .

Jumana Manna, A magical substance flows into me, 2015, digital video, color, sound, 1 hour 10 minutes.

 

Agnieszka Polska (b. 1985) will show at Venice in May, her work having been chosen by curator Christine Macel for the exhibition “Viva Arte Viva”. The artist is represented by Zak Branicka in Berlin and Georg Kargl Fine Arts & Georg Kargl Box in Vienna. Her work is currently featured at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Agnieszka Polska, Glass Hand, 2015 — © the artist, courtesy ŻAK | BRANICKA

 

The prize, awarded biennially, is open to artists under 40 of all nationalities living and working in Berlin. Naming the four finalists, this year’s first jury was made up of performer Meret Becker; writer, curator, and researcher Natasha Ginwala; head of Berlin based ifa-galerie Alya Sebti; actor Alexander Beyer; and Alice Motard, who is the chief curator at CAPC musée d’art contemporain in Bordeaux.

Among past winners, you have Anne Imhof (2015) — who is also representing Germany at the next Venice Biennale — Monica Bonvicini, (2005) Omer Fast (2009), Cyprien Gaillard (2011), and Mariana Castillo Deball (2013).