AWARE Prizes for Women Artists 2021

The non-profit organisation Archives of Women Artists Research and Exhibitions (AWARE) is delighted to announce the names of the 2021 laureates: Gaëlle Choisne for the prize and Barbara Chase-Riboud for the Outstanding Merit Prize, in recognition of her exceptional career.

Born in 1939 in Philadelphia (United-States), Barbara Chase-Riboud is a sculptor, poet and novelist, particularly known for her sculptures in polished bronze combined with silk and wool ropes. She was nominated by Eva Barois De Caevel, independent curator, art critic and publisher.

Born in 1985 in Cherbourg (France), Gaëlle Choisne is a sculptor and video artist maker, working with both private and public international institutions and engaging in various alternative and collective projects, as well as a number of cultural projects in Haiti. She was nominated by Thomas Conchou, independent curator and mediator for Les Nouveaux Commanditaires (The New Patrons) of La Fondation de France.

The 5th edition of the AWARE Prizes for Women Artists is organised with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, the CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture and Élysées Monceau.

The 2021 jury was chaired by Emma Lavigne (president of the Palais de Tokyo), and composed of: Sophie Auger-Grappin (director of the contemporary art centre Le Creux de l’Enfer, Thiers), Alexandre Bohn (director of Frac Poitou-Charentes, Angoulême), Cathia Lawson-Hall (Head of Coverage and Investment Banking for Africa at Société Générale, collector), María Inés Rodríguez (artistic director Tropical Papers), Camille Morineau (co-founder and director of AWARE) and Béatrice Salmon (director of the Cnap, Centre National des Arts Plastiques).

The AWARE Prize rewards an artist whose career has begun in the past 10 years and the Outstanding Merit Prize rewards an artist for her lifetime achievement.

The artist who receives the Outstanding Merit Prize receives 10,000 EUR and the publication of an interview in partnership with Manuella Éditions. The next volume of the collection will be launched in 2021 and will be devoted to Judit Reigl (2017 winner).

The winner of the AWARE Prize benefits from an acquisition of a work by the CNAP (Centre National des Arts Plastiques) and production assistance for the realisation of a solo exhibition in an art centre member of the d.c.a national network (French association for the development of contemporary art centres) and/or one of the FRACs belonging to Platform (a grouping of the Fonds Régionaux d’Art Contemporain).