Pilar Albarracín Wins Spain's 2026 National Prize for Visual Arts
The 2026 Premio Nacional de Artes Plásticas has been granted to Pilar Albarracín by Spain's Ministry of Culture, accompanied by a monetary award of 30,000 euros. The jury, chaired by Ángeles Albert and Jesús Carrillo, commended her distinctive impact on contemporary Spanish art, utilizing performance, photography, video, and installation to explore issues such as gender, tradition, and power dynamics. The panel featured members including Armengol Jiménez, Semíramis González, Gilberto González, Teresa Grandas, María López-Fanjul, Pedro de Llano Neira, and Elena Jiménez Moreno. Albarracín, who follows in the footsteps of past recipients like Fina Miralles and Dora García, employs irony and social critique to challenge stereotypes of Spanish identity. Her significant works include Viva España, Bailaré sobre tu tumba, and Lunares, as well as her notable 1997 handkerchiefs for weeping.
Key facts
- Pilar Albarracín received the 2026 Premio Nacional de Artes Plásticas from Spain's Ministry of Culture.
- The prize is endowed with 30,000 euros.
- The jury was chaired by Ángeles Albert and Jesús Carrillo.
- The jury praised her singular trajectory in contemporary Spanish art.
- Her mediums include performance, photography, video and installation.
- She succeeds Fina Miralles, Teresa Lanceta, Rogelio López Cuenca, Dora García and others.
- Notable works include Viva España, Bailaré sobre tu tumba and Lunares.
- Her 1997 handkerchiefs for weeping addressed grief and loss of freedom.
Entities
Artists
- Pilar Albarracín
- Ángeles Albert
- Jesús Carrillo
- Armengol Jiménez
- Semíramis González
- Gilberto González
- Teresa Grandas
- María López-Fanjul
- Pedro de Llano Neira
- Elena Jiménez Moreno
- Fina Miralles
- Teresa Lanceta
- Rogelio López Cuenca
- Dora García
- José María Yturralde
- Àngels Ribé
- Ángel Bados
- Ángela de la Cruz
- Juan Hidalgo
- Elena Jiménez
Institutions
- Ministerio de Cultura
- Centre d'Art La Capella
- LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial
- CAAC
- C3A
- MACBA
- Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias
- Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
- masdearte
- Premio Nacional de Artes Plásticas
- MoMA PS1
- Hamburger Bahnhof
- Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
- Kiasma
- Museo Reina Sofía
- Es Baluard
- CA2M
- Artium
- MUSAC
- Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea
- American University Museum
- Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois
- Biblioteca Miguel de Cervantes
- Contemporary Image Museum
- Maison Folie Moulins
- Musée Goya
- Three Shadows Photography Art Center
- University of Santiago de Compostela
- Mujeres en las Artes Visuales
- CGAC
- Musée en Herbe
- La Maison Rouge
- Musée Picasso de Vallauris
- Tabacalera
- CAC Málaga
- CAS Sevilla
- MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum
- Instituto Cervantes de Tokio
- CAAC Sevilla
- DA2
- Revista de Arte - Logopress
Locations
- Spain
- Madrid
- Seville
- Córdoba
- Barcelona
- Asturias
- Santiago de Compostela
- New York
- United States
- Berlin
- Germany
- Paris
- France
- Helsinki
- Finland
- Washington, D.C.
- Shanghai
- China
- Chengdu
- Lille
- Castres
- Xiamen
- Gijón
- Sevilla
- Washington D.C.
- Lectoure
- Albi
- Vallauris
- Málaga
- Thailand
- Tokio
- Japan
- Tokyo