The AWARE Prizes for Women Artists 2021
The AWARE award is the only prize dedicated to female artists in France. AWARE was created to help offset the gross under-representation of women among artists celebrated by the diverse prizes and awards punctuating the artworld calendar.
Since 2017 and with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, AWARE has yearly paid tribute to both a confirmed creator and an emerging artist, with the goal of spotlighting their creations. The CNAP joins forces with the association to support female artists.
The 4 women artists nominated to the Prize are :
- Myriam Boulos. Born in 1992 (Beirut - Lebanon). Lives and works in Beirut. Nominated by Morad Montazami ;
- Gaëlle Choisne. Born in 1985 (Cherbourg - France). Lives and works in Paris. Nominated by Thomas Conchou ;
- Sara Ouhaddou. Born in 1986 (Draguignan - France). Lives and works between France and Morocco. Nominated by Eva Barois De Caevel ;
- Mona Varichon. Born in 1989 (Paris - France). Lives and works in Paris. Nominated by Marion Vasseur Raluy.
The names of the winners for the Prize and the Outstanding Merit Prize will be revealed in March 2021.
Since 2019, the laureates benefit from new conditions of visibility thanks to the renewed and on-going support of the Ministry for Culture.
The winner of the Outstanding Merit Prize will receive a EUR 10,000 grant and a monographic publication, containing an original interview for release in 2021. The collection of interviews is developed in partnership with Manuella Éditions for all the recipients of AWARE Outstanding Merit Prize since its creation. The first volumes, dedicated to Nil Yalter (joint winner of the 2018 Outstanding Merit Prize) and Jacqueline de Jong (winner of the 2019 Outstanding Merit Prize), has been launched in November 2019 and November 2020.
The artist who emerges as the Prize laureate will have one or more of her works acquired by the CNAP collections and a production grant for a solo exhibition to be held within the d.c.a (French Association for the Development of Contemporary Art Centres) and/or Platform network (cluster of Regional Contemporary Art Funds).
The panel
The panel is 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 chairwoman of AWARE) and Béatrice Salmon (director of the CNAP).
The AWARE Prizes for Women Artists will enjoy the support of the Ministry for Culture and the CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture.