Shortlisted artists for the Max Mara Art Prize for Women announced

The Whitechapel Gallery and Max Mara announced today the five artists shortlisted for the fifth Max Mara Art Prize For Women. The shortlisted artists are Beatrice Gibson, Melanie Gilligan, Judith Goddard, Philomene Pirecki and Corin Sworn. The winner will be announced at the beginning of 2014.

The artists were selected for the Prize by a judging panel chaired by Iwona Blazwick OBE, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery. This year’s shortlisted artists work across various media including installation, painting, writing, performance, film and music. The Max Mara Art Prize for Women was established by the Whitechapel Gallery in collaboration with Max Mara in 2005 to promote and nurture female artists and is the only visual art prize for women in the United Kingdom.

The Prize is open to artists working across any medium who have not previously had a solo survey exhibition and are based in the UK. The winning artist is awarded a six-month Italian residency and the time and space to produce new work in an inspirational environment, followed by major solo exhibitions at both the Whitechapel Gallery in London and Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Iwona Blazwick OBE said; ‘The Max Mara Art Prize for Women continues our long tradition of premiering female artists. Our alumni includes Barbara Hepworth, Frida Kahlo, Eva Hesse, Nan Goldin and Cindy Sherman and it is fantastic to be able to offer this unique opportunity to women working in the UK today. We cannot wait to see what the current shortlist present for their proposals for this year’s Prize.’ The Maramotti family, owners of the Max Mara Fashion Group, are pre-eminent contemporary art collectors.

Judith Goddard, Garden Of Earthly Delights - Earth (1991), 3min video. Courtesy the artist.

Philomene Pirecki. White Wall, 2013