Pat Oleszko wins top prize at Whitney Biennial

Pat Oleszko, a sculptor and performer, has won the Bucksbaum Award at the 2026 Whitney Biennial, receiving $100,000. The prize, established in 2000, is one of the most prestigious in US contemporary art, previously awarded to Zoe Leonard, Ralph Lemon, and Pope.L. Oleszko's win marks a significant return after decades away from New York's institutional circuit, with no solo exhibitions since the 1990s. Her resurgence began in 2024 with a show at David Peter Francis gallery, followed by a SculptureCenter retrospective in 2025. At the Biennial, she presented the inflatable sculpture "Blow Hard" (1995) and the video "Footsi" (1979). Curators Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer praised her unique body of work, noting its resonance with audiences and participants. The jury's unanimous decision highlights a rediscovery of an artist long marginalized by major institutions.