Chanel has announced the 10 winners of its biannual Chanel Next Prize, which awards each artist with an unconditional prize of 100,000 euros ($108,000). From a video game designer to an opera singer, the winners include three visual artists: Georgian artist Tolia Astakhishvili, Brazilian artist Dalton Paula and Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges, including Cao Fei, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Tilda Swinton.
Along with the prize money, each artist will receive two years of mentorship with the luxury brand’s cultural partners, such as the Royal College of Art in London.
“The Chanel Next Prize was created to amplify the work of artists who are making a difference and redefining the discipline. Each is a catalyst and a trailblazer,” said Yana Peel, Chanel’s global head of arts and culture. “Everyone is disrupting established practice in their own field, from art and opera to film and game design. It will be exciting to see their creative journeys.’
Ho Tzu Nyen explores his native Singapore through a post-colonial lens. Working in animation, performance and installation, the artist addresses social changes and tensions in the former British colony.
In Brazil, Dalton Paula is focused on the history of her country. Paula uses portraits to depict black figures associated with the African diaspora in Brazil that have been overlooked or overlooked in history. His paintings will appear in the 60th edition of the Venice Biennale.
Tolia Astakhishvili, who divides her time between Berlin and Tbilisi, works mainly in installations, bringing together media such as video, sound, found material and architecture. His first solo exhibition in the United States opens this year at the SculptureCenter in Queens, New York.
Other winners include director Fox Maxy, musician and artist Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother), choreographer Oona Doherty, opera singer Davóne Tines, game designer Sam Eng, composer Anna S. Thorvaldsdottir and filmmaker Kantemir Balagov.
