Alfredo Jaar inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Portrait of Alfredo Jaar by Andrea Rego Barros.
NEW YORK, NY.—
Galerie Lelong, New York announced that Alfredo Jaar is a 2026 inductee of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He will formally join Arts and Letters in the Department of Art at a ceremony on May 20, 2026.
Founded in 1898, the American Academy of Arts and Letters represents the highest standards of artistic achievement in this country, and our community of members are among the leading contemporary architects, visual artists, writers, and composers. The members of Arts and Letters are divided into Departments of Architecture, Art, Literature, and Music, and are elected in recognition of notable achievement in their fields. By honoring their peers through election to membership and supporting nonmember artists through awards, exhibitions, and public programs, the members of Arts and Letters create a community of mutual support and recognition for artists across disciplines.
Alfredo Jaar is an innovative artist, architect, and filmmaker. For over 40 years, Jaar has used photographs, film, installation, and new media to create compelling works that examine complex socio-political issues and the limits and ethics of representation. His work is currently on view the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, In Minor Keys curated by Koyo Kouoh; his work has also been included in the 1986, 2007, 2009, and 2013 editions. His work appeared in the Biennials of São Paulo, Brazil (1987, 1989, 2010; 2021); Documenta, Germany (1987, 2002); and the Whitney Biennial (2022). In 2020, Jaar was the recipient of the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography, the most prestigious award for photography in the world. He was awarded the 11th Hiroshima Art Prize in 2019, and a solo exhibition was presented in 2023. In 2025, he was the recipient of the Edward MacDowell Medal and the Prix Pictet. Recent solo exhibitions have been hosted by SESC Pompeia, São Paulo, Brazil; KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany; Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile; and Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany; among many others.
Jaar was born in Santiago, Chile. He lives and works in Lisbon, Portugal.
