Monica Bonvicini Wins 2020 Oskar Kokoschka Prize

Monica Bonvicini, an Italian artist based in Berlin, has been awarded the 2020 Oskar Kokoschka Prize by the Austrian government. The announcement was made by Gerald Bast, president of the jury and rector of the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The prize, endowed with €20,000, is awarded biennially to internationally recognized visual artists. Bonvicini is known for her work addressing sociological and political themes, often transcending traditional techniques. She previously taught performance art and sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna from 2003 to 2018. Her recent solo exhibition at Belvedere 21, titled "I Cannot Hide My Anger," concluded in October 2019. The official ceremony will take place on February 28, 2020, at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, preceded by an international symposium on Oskar Kokoschka on February 27. Bonvicini's Vienna gallery, Krinzinger, highlighted the award's prestige. She participated in the all-female group show "To a Passer-by" at Krinzinger in 2019 alongside Marina Abramović and Angela de la Cruz. Upcoming exhibitions include "The Cindy Sherman Effect" at Kunstforum Wien starting January 28, 2020, and her installation "As Walls Keep Shifting" at ORG in Turin. The Oskar Kokoschka Prize was established in 1980, with past winners including Hans Arp (1981), Mario Merz, Gerhard Richter, Jannis Kounellis, John Baldessari, Ilya Kabakov, William Kentridge, and Yoko Ono. This is the 21st edition of the award.