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| Preis der Nationalgalerie | |
|---|---|
| Name | Preis der Nationalgalerie |
| Awarded for | Contemporary art prize |
| Presenter | Nationalgalerie |
| Country | Germany |
| Year | 1965 |
Preis der Nationalgalerie is a contemporary art prize presented by the Nationalgalerie (Berlin) to recognize outstanding visual artists connected to Berlin and Germany. Established in the mid‑20th century, the award has become a notable marker in the careers of painters, sculptors, photographers, and installation artists. Recipients have included figures associated with institutions such as the Hamburger Bahnhof, the Neue Nationalgalerie, and the Berlinische Galerie, and the prize is often announced in conjunction with exhibitions at major museums.
The prize originated in the postwar cultural rebuilding period linked to the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz and broader efforts involving institutions such as the Bundesrepublik Deutschland cultural offices, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Kulturstiftung der Länder. Early decades saw connections with personalities from the Deutsche Akademie der Künste, curators from the Museum für Moderne Kunst (Frankfurt am Main), and collectors like Henri Nannen and Paul Maenz. Over time the prize reflected shifts influenced by movements represented by artists associated with the Fluxus group, Minimalism, and Neo-Expressionism. Directors and curators from the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, including those affiliated with the Kupferstichkabinett, played roles in shaping criteria and presentations. The prize adapted alongside events such as the reunification debates involving the Berliner Festspiele and exhibitions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Volksbühne.
The prize aims to elevate contemporary artistic practice tied to the German and Berlin art scenes, often spotlighting practitioners who have exhibited at venues like the Kunstverein in Hamburg, the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, the Kunstmuseum Bonn, and the Kunsthalle Basel. Eligible candidates have often been associated with galleries such as Galerie nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder, Galerie Max Hetzler, and Arndt & Partner, or educational institutions such as the Universität der Künste Berlin, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, and the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. The prize typically considers artists with exhibitions at the Berlin Biennale, the documenta exhibitions, or the Venice Biennale, and those featured in publications by editors like Hans Ulrich Obrist and Bruno Bischofberger.
Selection is managed by jurors drawn from museum directors, critics, and curators affiliated with institutions such as the Tate Modern, the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Stedelijk Museum, and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Past jurors have included figures connected to the Serpentine Galleries, the Hayward Gallery, and the Whitechapel Gallery. The process often involves proposals from galleries including Pace Gallery, Gagosian, Sprüth Magers, and regional venues like the Kestnergesellschaft and the Kunsthalle Bern. Shortlisted artists may have ties to collectors and patrons such as Isabella Stewart Gardner (historical reference), Gertrud and Otto Nuschke (regional patrons), or contemporary foundations like the Kunststiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (cultural philanthropy). The prize deliberations have occasionally intersected with debates involving festivals such as the Skulptur Projekte Münster and research projects at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien.
Winners and nominees have included artists whose practices resonate with those of Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, Cindy Sherman, Marina Abramović, Blanka Amezkua, Isa Genzken, Katharina Grosse, Martin Kippenberger, Georg Baselitz, Wolfgang Tillmans, Hito Steyerl, Neo Rauch, Daniel Richter, Rosemarie Trockel, Jörg Immendorff, Rebecca Horn, Tino Sehgal, Monika Baer, Michael Krebber, Runa Islam, Julian Rosefeldt, Michael Schmidt, Andreas Slominski, Andrea Fraser, Sophie Calle, Elmgreen & Dragset, Sarah Lucas, Yves Klein, Paul McCarthy, Olafur Eliasson, Annie Leibovitz, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Karin Sander, Thomas Demand, Carsten Höller, Wim Delvoye, Katharina Sieverding, Valie Export, Dan Flavin, Brice Marden, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, Bruno Schulz, Joseph Kosuth, Gertraud Gruber, Marcel Duchamp, Yayoi Kusama, Bruce Nauman, Claes Oldenburg, Pierre Huyghe, Allora & Calzadilla, Rosa Barba, Paola Pivi —artists whose careers intersect with museums like the Ludwig Museum, the Sammlung Boros, and the Stiftung Beyeler.
The award has influenced exhibition programming at institutions such as the Neue Galerie New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Royal Academy of Arts, and the National Gallery of Art. Critics from outlets including the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Die Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung, The Guardian, The New York Times, and Artforum have debated selections, comparing laureates to trends in movements exemplified by Conceptual art, Performance art, Photorealism, and Land art. Responses from curators at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the ICA London, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo have shaped international acquisition strategies, with museums like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles acquiring works by laureates. The prize has also affected the secondary market with auction houses including Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips reflecting market interest in winners.
Laureate announcements are commonly linked with solo exhibitions at venues such as the Hamburger Bahnhof, the Neue Nationalgalerie, the Kunst-Werke Berlin, and satellite spaces like the me Collectors Room Berlin and the KW Institute for Contemporary Art. Associated symposiums and panels have included speakers from the Goethe-Institut, the Max Planck Society, the European Cultural Foundation, and universities like the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Special projects have coincided with fairs and festivals including Art Basel, Frieze Art Fair, the TEFAF, and regional showcases such as Berlin Art Week.
Category:German contemporary art awards