Three significant self-organized exhibition platforms are winners of the BKF prize Artist-run Exhibition Venues of the Year 2020:
To Grow – read the jury's motivation speech here...
eg. – read the jury's motivation speech here...
Skovsnogen – Deep Forest Artland – read the jury's motivation speech here...
From left: Rikke Ehlers Nilsson and Scott William Raby from the platform e.g., Karoline W. Andersen, Mette Nisgaard Larsen and Søren-Emil Schütt from Til Vægs, Aksel Kror, René Schmidt and Jørn Lindhardtsen from Skovsnogen – Deep Forest Artland. Photos: Rine Rodin and BKF.
The names of the three winners were revealed on Saturday 13 June at a festive, but due to the corona situation quite small, award ceremony in the Free Exhibition Building.
The honor comes with a check for NOK 25.000 from the visual arts collective copyright funds in VISDA as well as the winner statuette Artistrun Space created by sculptor Anders Bonnesen.
The jury, which in addition to BKF's chairman Nis Rømer consisted of Malene Dam from Vermilion Sands and Farid Salti from Kunsthal next door, had a difficult task when they selected the winners from a strong field of a total of 65 nominated sites and a shortlist of six sharp finalists.
"Some of the places the jury has looked at are made of the stuff art history is written from. Unique narratives about the times we live in and about the subjects that drive artists to a year-long commitment to a subject, a cause or some aesthetic explorations that the world has not yet seen. But it is also a thankless task, because there is much, much more quality than we can reward," said BKF chairman Nis Rømer at the award ceremony.
Going with the ideas
"The closure has naturally also been a challenge for the artist-run places. We have missed you as our extra living room and expanded consciousness. I hope everyone will join again, but I am also aware that places come and go. It is part of the dynamic that something can close so that something else can arise. The long haul is necessary to build up and create relationships, but other times it's about going with an idea that applied to that life, and failing or succeeding as much as possible."
Six artist-run venues were on the jury's shortlist. See the full shortlist here…
A total of 65 places were nominated, the largest number ever. See all nominees here…
Background on the BKF award and previous years' winners here...
At the award ceremony, the artist group Syvende og Sidst performed a musical performance. The choir on this occasion consisted of: Tine Tvergaard, Birgite Lundtoft, Mia Edelgart and Maria la Cour. Photos: BKF. Photo of all the winners at the top of the page: Rine Rodin.
