Max Mara Art Prize for Women 2023 Is The Only Award Of Its Kind In The UK

Luxury fashion brand Max Mara, The Whitechapel Gallery in London, and Collezione Maramotti Art Museum in Reggio Emilia, Italy have announced the five shortlisted artists for the ninth edition of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women: Rebecca Bellantoni, Bhajan Hunjan, Onyeka Igwe, Zinzi Minott and Dominique White.

Max Mara Art Prize for Women 2023 is the only award of its kind in the UK, uniquely offering the winning artist time, support and resources to develop a new body of work through a tailored 6 month residency, which is then presented at a solo exhibition at the Gallery in Summer 2024 and subsequently at Collezione Maramotti, Italy.

The winner of the 9th edition of the Max Mara Art Prize will be announced on 28 March 2023 at a special ceremony hosted at Whitechapel Gallery.

The prize, established in 2005 – a proud collaboration between Whitechapel Gallery, Max Mara and Collezione Maramotti – is open to female-identifying artists of any age who are yet to have had a major solo survey or exhibition.

Now in its 9th edition, the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, is a biannual award originated by Whitechapel Gallery and established in collaboration with Max Mara in 2005. Collezione Maramotti came on board as an additional partner in 2007, when its extensive collection of contemporary art opened to the public. All three partners inform and collaborate on each phase of the prize’s processes and development.

It is the only visual art prize of its kind for UK based emerging women-identifying artists with the aim to promote and nurture them at a crucial stage in their careers, through increased visibility, and the resources to develop an ambitious new work by offering essential time, space, creative and professional support.

The prize is open to women artists of any age, living and working in the United Kingdom, who have not previously had a major solo survey exhibition. For each edition a jury, comprising a gallerist, critic, artist and collector, and chaired by the Whitechapel Gallery Director, submit a longlist of women-identifying artists, from which a final shortlist of five is agreed.

The Shortlist

The artists selected for the 9th edition of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women 2022-24 are:

• Rebecca Bellantoni
• Bhajan Hunjan
• Onyeka Igwe
• Zinzi Minott
• Dominique White.

The winner will be announced at a special evening ceremony held at Whitechapel Gallery on 28 March 2023.

The shortlist was selected by a panel of judges chaired by Bina von Stauffenberg in collaboration with Gilane Tawadros, Director, Whitechapel Gallery for the 9th edition. The Panel comprised:

Rózsa Farkas, Gallerist, Claudette Johnson, Artist, Derica Shields, Writer, Maria Sukkar, Collector.

Bina von Stauffenberg, Chair of Judges, commented: “Today, as women’s rights continue to be challenged, it could not be more urgent or relevant to ensure that women artists are championed, and heard on the world stage. For more than a decade, this unique prize has successfully enabled women-identifying artists at different stages of their careers to develop their potential in extraordinary ways. Through a six-month Italian residency and the resources to create a major new commission, it offers critical time, space and support.”

The winner, selected on the strength of their proposal for the prize, is awarded a six-month Italian residency, organised by Collezione Maramotti Art Museum as well as a dedicated exhibition. The residency is uniquely tailored to fit the particular needs and focus of the artist and their winning proposal. Crucially it provides the artist with resources and space to realise a new work, which then forms the basis of a major solo exhibition presented at the Whitechapel gallery, London and Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia, Italy, the following year. Collezione Maramotti then acquire the commission for their world-class art collection, ensuring that the artist is supported and acknowledged beyond the two year prize cycle.

The Max Mara Art Prize for Women is both distinct and exceptional in recognising and supporting the creative process and was awarded the British Council Arts & Business International Award in 2007.