Frances Stark and Mark Godfrey receive 2015 Absolut Art Awards for hip-hop opera and Black art anthology

Frances Stark and Mark Godfrey have been named recipients of the 2015 Absolut Art Awards, with Massimiliano Gioni serving as Jury President. Stark secured the 'Art Work' category, earning €20,000 plus €100,000 to realize a new project—specifically, a hip-hop adaptation of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Godfrey won in 'Art Writing,' receiving €20,000 and €25,000 to publish an anthology focused on 'The Black Art Debate' and African American art from the 1960s and 70s, to be produced with a major publishing house. The awards support the creation and exhibition of new artworks and publications. Stark's proposal involves reimagining a classic opera through contemporary musical forms. Godfrey's project aims to compile critical texts on a pivotal period in American art history. Both winners were selected for their innovative contributions to art and writing. The announcement was made in 2015.