DUSSELDORF.- The Freunde der Kunstsammlung and the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen announced this year’s winner of the K21 Global Art Award, Wang Tuo (b. 1984 in Changchun, China). The award includes the acquisition of the multi-channel video installation “The Second Interrogation” (2022), which will be on view at K21 from May 24, 2024. The jury thus decided in favor of the artist nominated by Doryun Chong (Deputy Director and Chief Curator of M+, Hong Kong).

The Freunde der Kunstsammlung (Friends of K20 K21), in cooperation with the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (K20 K21) and thanks to a generous financial support from a private Foundation award for the second time the new art prize K21 Global Art Award. It is an example of the creative and sustained approach of the Friends in supporting the endeavours of the Kunstsammlung.

The annual K21 Global Art Award celebrates the vision and courage of emerging and mid career artists. It will be offered to internationally recognized artists, aged 45 and under. The award highlights the museum’s mission to broaden the collection and acquires new work by artist from different regions in the world.

The K21 is dedicated to current developments in international contemporary art and features paintings, drawings, immersive installations, video works and multidisciplinary approaches by renowned contemporary artists from all regions, including Ed Atkins, Lutz Bacher, Cao Fei, Hito Steyerl, Raqs Media Collective and Ai Weiwei. Beyond presenting its collection and staging groundbreaking international exhibitions, the museum engages in critical debates with diverse communities and is eager to broaden the understanding of art and culture. K21 is committed to ongoing reflection on its role in the light of global transformations and emerging challenges. With a focus on its collection, the museum aims to enrich and broaden its holdings by integrating the principles of polyphony, globality, and digitalization.

The K21 Global Art Award has a nomination jury of five renowned museum directors and curators from across the world. The nomination jury consists of Doryun Chong (M+, Hong Kong); Koyo Kouoh (Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, Capetown); Omar Kholeif (Sharjah Art Foundation, Government of Sharjah, UAE); Oluremi C. Onabanjo (The Museum of Modern Art, New York); and Jochen Volz (Pinacoteca de São Paulo).

Each jury member has been invited to nominate up to two artists. This list of artists will be submitted to the acquisition jury, who selects the winning artist. The acquisition jury members for the 2024 K21 Global Art Award are Kathrin Bentele (Director, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Düsseldorf), Leopold Frhr. von Diergardt (Chairman, Friends of K20 K21), Anna-Alexandra Pfau (Board Member, Friends of K20 K21), Heidi Khair (Young Member, Friends of K20 K21) and Jonas Schmitt (Young Member, Friends of K20 K21).

This year, the Friends of the Kunstsammlung are acquiring the video installation “The Second Interrogation” (2022) by Wang Tuo. The work will be on permanent loan to the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen and will be exhibited in two rooms in K21 from May 24, 2024. With an acqusition budget of € 100,000, the K21 Global Art Award holds a special significance. It is unique in its global approach and is one of the most generously endowed art prizes in Germany. In 2023, the prize was awarded for the first time to the artist Senzeni Mthwakazi Marasela (*1977 in Thokoza, South Africa).