LONDON, Monday, 30 September 2019—Henie Onstad Kunstsenter is delighted to officially announce that the inaugural winner of the Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award is Otobong Nkanga.
Revealed
during a reception at The Conduit in London, the winner was announced by Tone
Hansen, Director of the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, in the presence of the
artist, the award’s jury and invited guests.
Tone
Hansen noted: “Otobong
Nkanga is an artist of unshakeable integrity and vitality. The impact we have
upon our environment and one another, constitutes the essence of her work. She
is a wonderful choice as inaugural artist for Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award, which
celebrates the work of distinguished international artists, generating ongoing
public engagement while encouraging conversations about the relevance and
importance of contemporary art”.
The Lise
Wilhelmsen Art Award Programme presents 100,000 USD in prize money to a distinguished,
mid-career artist whose work will inspire and motivate future generations to
active participation and social responsibility. In addition to the prize, there
is an acquisition budget for the inclusion of the artist’s work in the Henie
Onstad Kunstsenter collection, and the winner will feature in a dedicated
exhibition at the museum the following year. Presented every two years, the
award, acquisition and exhibition are intended to mark a significant milestone
in an artist's career and represent a financial commitment that places the
programme among the most significant art awards internationally.
On winning
the award, Otobong Nkanga said: “I
am truly honoured to be the inaugural recipient of the Lise Wilhelmsen Award
and to exhibit next year in the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter. The Award will enable
me to work further on developing ideas, pursue dreams and have the time to
reflect on topics that are inspiring me.”.
Nkanga’s
multi-disciplinary practice, which spans tapestry, drawing, photography, installation,
video and performance, connects threads that reveal the entanglements of
bodies, land and natural resources. Her work reflects on the processes and
consequences of the extraction of natural resources from ethical, human and
material perspectives. She explores the transformation of natural substances,
such as minerals, into desirable commodities as a commentary on the value
placed on material culture, often at the expense of the environment.
Otobong Nkanga’s exhibition at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter in
Norway will take place in autumn 2020, as part of a two-year programme with the
museum.

Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award Programme: The Jury
Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award Programme: The Jury
