Fully Funded Residencies meets Future Generation Art Prize
The biannual Future Generation Art Prize is prize for the young generation of artists (under 35) around the globe and with an open and free application process. Established by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in 2009, the Prize supported the artistic development and production of new works within the exhibitions at the PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv and as official collateral events at the Venice Biennale in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019. The open call for Future Generation Art Prize 2021 is open. For this interview, FFR spoke with the artistic director of PinchukArtCentre, Björn Geldhof. |
FFR: What is the significance of Future Generation Art Prize and similar acknowledgments in arts?
Björn Geldhof: I am not sure if there are many similar acknowledgments. The Future Generation Art Prize is quite unique. Ever since it was established in 2009 it is the only prize that works globally, completely democratic and free of charge. This places the prize in a position from which it addresses all artists, all over the world and enables them all to apply without any limitation, except the age limit (35 years).
Over the last 10 years that we have been very lucky to see applications from different countries. It gives us a unique inside look into what is going on in terms of emerging art. On the other hand, we have received great trust from the artist community because of the way we developed this prize. Its significance lays very much in between 3 elements: trust of the artist community, an open mode which is completely transparent and functionality on a global level.
The other aspect is that the Future Generation Art Prize is artist-oriented in the sense that we invest in new art production, the exhibition in Kiev and then exhibition in Venice which translates to bringing 21 artists to Venice as part of collateral event of Venice Biennale. If you follow prizes around the world you will notice there is no similar one that brings all shortlisted artists to the probably the most important global event in terms of contemporary art.
FFR: Did last year's Turner Prize outcome and the ‘Statement of Solidarity’, where the art world called for an end to competition culture, raise some discussion within the Future Generation Art Prize team? Do you think a similar change could happen with the FGAP? Björn Geldhof: I believe most artists dislike prizes and I understand why. But the position of the Future Generation Art Prize is not like the Turner Prize position. We don’t have selections of 5 artists but 21 artists. Instead of having just one prize we have the main prize (which has been known to be divided to two artists as well) and the potential of special prizes. In the most fruitful years, if I can say it like that, we had up to 6 mentions - whether it was the main prize or special prizes. This amplifies that Future Generation Art Prize is not about a singular winner but about bringing shortlisted artists together. This is the reason why we decided to bring everyone to the Venice exhibition without any kind of different attitude towards participants. The exhibition in Venice, becomes different than a traditional prize exhibition. We join our forces to make it the best possible. This expands the model of theFuture Generation Art Prize to not be just exclusively about award and award ceremony but about a longer trajectory of 2 years. |
FFR: Do you have an evaluation system (and if yes, what kind?) that you use to see what succeeded in previous years, to build on for the future?
Björn Geldhof: As we are a global prize, there is an incredibly healthy mix between artists you might expect and artists whom you haven’t heard of. This adds to the value of the prize. It is not regionally defined. It gives fresh insight into what's going on or what the selection committee valued in that moment of time -- as something they defined as ‘future generation’. It is very much about how we think about art and how artists themselves are developing their own positions, developing media, developing artistic languages. It creates interesting discourses about where and what the new generation of artists are thinking about.
I believe the Future Generation Art Prize stimulated many careers of shortlisted artists. Most of the artists who participated acknowledge that being part of it has been a positive experience and had an impact on their development shortly after the prize participants were announced.
FFR: What is the procedure of choosing the seven members of the Selection Committee? (Or how is the jury chosen that chooses the selection committee?)
Björn Geldhof: The model is like this: as an institution, we will appoint 7 members of the jury and these members have the task to award the prizes. They come to Kiev to see the exhibition and discuss the exhibited works. Based on that they award the main prize and special prizes. There is also a second task, to appoint a member for the selection committee. The jury appoints the members of the selection committee, independent of us. We only ask that those members of the selection committee are well versed on what's going on right now in terms of emerging art. Given that the jury is appointed from all over the world, we have a similar composition of the committee.
The task of the committee is to go through online applications and vote according to the instructions. If there is anything interesting to discuss about a certain application it gets the positive vote and moves to the next stage.
FFR: You usually receive several thousands of applications from all over the world. How long is the actual process of screening of applications and does the selection committee go through all of them?
Björn Geldhof: As mentioned above, after the first stage, we have a 2 day long thorough discussion on about 1200 applicants that go to the second stage. The committee, of course, do their homework, they have looked into all of these applicants. Everybody knows about whom and what they are discussing. It is an intense process. The exact procedure of voting is determined by the chair of committee (selected by the committee itself) and then they need to agree on the 21 shortlisted artists.
FFR: Is it possible for the artist to be directly invited to the 21 nominees group without applying?
Björn Geldhof: That is impossible. Otherwise it would not be a democratic structure. Everybody has to apply. We have correspondence with a big group of art professionals and others who are supporters of the prize and who will always recommend a number of artists whom they think should be selected for the prize. We invite recommended artists to apply for the prize. In the case that they do not apply, they can not be considered and therefore - not selected. The people who apply through recommendation immediately pass to the second round of selection and from there everyone is on the same level. From our experience we have about 60-40% in our final selection group (it is not like this every year - but on average) where 60 % have been received by recommendation and 40% simply applied through self initiative. It is important for us to follow up on these numbers because we get a big number of recommended artists and we wanted to understand if the open call still makes sense. And indeed it adds up with unexpected positions. |
FFR: Is there a philosophy to the impossible task of judging artworks in terms of significance?
BjörnGeldhof: Our title is Future Generation Art Prize. We give the jury and selection committee the same question.
How do you define Future? And what work do you select to define and represent the Future Generation Art Prize? This brings interesting discussions and it invites us to think about where art is going, what is relevant and why. What the work should do; does it bear responsibility.
Every time we have an open call, we end up with different answers or suggestions, different approaches, accents.
We often have artists applying 3 or 4 times and are selected the 3rd or 4th time. Perhaps not because their work changed dramatically but because the concerns of the selection committee have changed. This is something that is important to us.
The winners are chosen by the jury after they discuss and review all the artworks in the main exhibition in Kiev, without the presence of the artists. The day of the decision is the day of the announcement as well.
FFR: Do you have some personal advice for young artists when it comes to the application process?
Björn Geldhof: The best advice is simple: apply. If you apply you can be sure that 7 professionals will look closely at your work. The best way to promote yourself is to show your work, and even if you are not selected, there is a chance that one of these names (from the committee) will come back to you.
About PinchukArtCentre
PinchukArtCentre is an international centre for contemporary art of the 21st century. It is an open platform for the artists, the art work and society. Its definite innovative profile is aimed at the dynamic interlacing of new production, presentation, and collection bridging national identity and international challenge. It is an ideal venue for masterworks and workgroups by outstanding artists of our time which reflect and represent the complexity of the world, transforming it into a unique and new form. This sustainably determines its work and create a corporate identity in the following fields of activity: collection, exhibitions, projects, communication, education, publications and research. https://pinchukartcentre.org/ Open call for the Future Generation Art Prize you can find here: https://futuregenerationartprize.org/en |
Interview with:
Björn Geldhof, Artistic Director of PinchukArtCentre
By Mila Panic
Edited by Rebecca A. Layton
Photo credits: Future Generation Art Prize
Björn Geldhof, Artistic Director of PinchukArtCentre
By Mila Panic
Edited by Rebecca A. Layton
Photo credits: Future Generation Art Prize