Max Hooper Schneider Awarded Fifth BMW Art Journey for Coral Reef Exploration Project

Max Hooper Schneider has been selected as the recipient of the fifth BMW Art Journey prize. The Los Angeles-based artist, previously recognized as one of ArtReview's 2016 Future Greats, will undertake a global maritime expedition titled 'Planetary Vitrine: The Reef as Event.' His journey will investigate coral reefs across multiple regions, including the Indo-West Pacific, Russia's Lake Baikal, and Madagascar's coastline. Schneider also plans to visit historically significant locations such as the Cocos Keeling Islands, where Charles Darwin conducted research for his 1842 coral reef treatise, and the Bahamas, which inspired André Breton's imaginary voyages. The project will combine research documentation with sculptural interventions, featuring the artist's characteristic ecosystems enclosed in vitrines. A distinctive element involves submerging empty glass-and-acrylic containers at selected reef sites, allowing natural processes and marine life to transform them before eventual retrieval and exhibition. Schneider was chosen from a shortlist that included Maggie Lee and Beto Shwafaty, all of whom presented work in the Positions sector for emerging artists at Art Basel Miami. The announcement was made on February 21, 2017.