Ceramics of Europe 12. Westerwaldprize
PRESSRELEASE - MAY 2009
KERAMIKMUSEUM WESTERWALD
Prizewinners of the competition EUROPEAN CERAMICS – 12th WESTERWALD PRIZE announced.
This competition, which takes place every five years, was first organised by the Westerwald region in 1973 in order to present outstanding art and craft ceramics in a competition and an exhibition at the Keramikmuseum Westerwald. This year, five prizes have been awarded in 4 categories as well as a talent award for young ceramists under 35 years of age.
The following prizes have been awarded:
SALTGLAZE / STONEWARE and PORCELAIN – the prize is to be shared between Aage Birck (DK) and Nathalie Schnider-Lang (D), EUR 2,500 each.
VESSEL / FORM / DECOR – Sara Moorhouse (GB) – 5000.- EUR.
SCULPTURE / INSTALLATION – in line with the large number of entries of a very high standard, two prizes have been awarded, each worth EUR 5,000, to
Marieke Pauwels (B) and Beatrijs van Rheeden (NL).
The TALENT AWARD (under 35) worth 4,000 EUR goes to Josseline Engeler (D).
The judges were unanimous in not awarding a prize in the category DESIGN / SERIALLY PRODUCED WARE.
The judges recommended replacing the category of design with a specially curated presentation of high quality design, selected in advance, with the subsequent award of a prize. A total of 692 artists had submitted complete applications before the deadline. 282 artists were invited to send in their works for judging – 222 will be on display in the upcoming exhibition.
Honourable mentions by the international panel of judges went to:
Prof. Elaine O’Henry, USA – to Charlotte Schleifenbaum (D), design;
Nani Champy, (F) – to Hwa Joon Lee (D), sculpture;
Caroline Cheng (China) – to Tommy Bo Petersen (GB), vessel;
Prof. Gerhard Hahn (D) – to Franz Julien (D), sculpture;
Prof. Frank Louis (A) – to Barbara Gröbl (D), sculpture;
Helga Gerhardus (D) – to Simon Taylor (GB), sculpture;
Monika Gass (D) – to Tunde Piroskar Molnay (Ro), sculpture.
On 28 August 2009 at 6 p.m. the official prizegiving ceremony takes place at the Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Höhr-Grenzhausen; certificates will be awarded by the Chief Administrative Officer of the Westerwald Region, Herrn Peter Paul Weinert and the exhibition will be opened. The event is under the kind patronage of the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Angela Merkel.
On 29 August 2009 a colloquium is to take place.
Exhibition from Friday, 28 August 2009 – March 2010 with follow-up exhibitions at further museums in Germany and abroad. A catalogue is to be published.
Ahead of the exhibition for the 12th competition, the museum is showing a retrospective of the museum’s purchases from Westerwald Prize competitions since 1973.
KERAMIKMUSEUM WESTERWALD
D–56203 Höhr-Grenzhausen / Lindenstr. 13, Germany.
Tel. +49 (0)2624 9460-10 / fax +49 (0)2624 9460-120
info@keramikmuseum.de / www.keramikmuseum.de
Photo l. to r.:
Bettina Kessler (Ceramic Museum); judges Caroline Cheng and Nany Champy-Schott, saltglaze prize, figure by Nathalie Schnider-Lang, Mayor Jürgen Johannsen, judges Prof. Frank Louis, Prof. Elaine O’Henry, Prof. Gerhard Hahn and Monika Gass, museum director.
