Tanja Muravskaja, Anna Škodenko, Holger Loodus. Photo: Helen Melesk
The laureates of Köler Prize 2018 were announced yesterday evening, May 10, at the award ceremony at EKKM. The joint laureates of Köler Prize 2018 Grand Prix are Anna Škodenko and Tanja Muravskaja.
The shared Grand Prix, totalling 10000 euros, and a brooch designed by Ketli Tiitsar and Anneli Tammik, was presented by Armin Kõomägi, chairman of the council of AS Smarten Logistics, the long-term general sponsor of Köler Prize.
The People’s Choice Award, which was this year put forth by art-friendly private individuals – family Kruuse – and consisted of 2000 euros and a brooch, was awarded to Holger Loodus.
The laureates of the Grand Prix and its unprecedented division was determined by an international jury consisting of Laura Põld (laureate of the Köler Prize 2016 Grand Prix), Laura Herman (curator at La Loge, Brussels), Maria Lind (director of Tensta Konsthalli, Spånga), Post Brothers (curator at Kunstverein München), Raimundas Malašauskas (curator and writer from Vilnius and Brussels).
The Jury accounted for its decision as follows:
“The decision we have made is to select two people. It is an unusually unanimous decision that also came as a surprise to the jury because we come from such different practices and backgrounds. We feel that this decision is very much in the spirit of the prize and the institution of EKKM itself, which were conceived through self-determination, a free-spirited approach, and a radical re-conception of different structures.
The reason for choosing two artists is because both of them share an urgency in terms of grappling with the particularities of our time, yet have taken very different approaches to this end. Both of these artists have demonstrated being open to testing and failure, and to take risks formally, conceptually, and personally.
Tanja Muravskaja has presented us a skilful precision in detail, control, and confidence; confronts contemporary politics through lived experience, and demonstrates the essential function of art today to both educate and irritate. Reanimating familiar formats merging the past, the present and the future, the seemingly simple work comes out as both complex and compelling.
Anna Škodenko impressed the jury with her practice and process as a whole, particularly her openness to different material approaches, especially her painting practice. Her persistent sensibility to language considers the condition of information saturation today, and shows a refreshing generosity by allowing the audience to engage with her thinking and working process.”
The Köler Prize 2018 exhibition of nominees
will stay opened until May 20
Köler Prize 2018
Exhibition of Nominees at EKKM
Open from March 31 to May 20, Tue–Sun 12–7pm
Põhja pst. 35, Tallinn, 10415
