Shilpa Gupta Wins Possehl Prize, Gets First German Solo Show

On September 27, 2025, the Possehl Foundation in Lübeck awarded the 2025 Possehl Prize to Mumbai-born artist Shilpa Gupta (b. 1976). The prize includes €25,000 and her first major solo exhibition in Germany, a retrospective titled "We last met in the mirror" at Kunsthalle St. Annen, curated by Noura Dirani. Spanning four floors, the show surveys Gupta's last two decades. Among the works, "100 hand drawn maps of Germany" presents a book of 100 hand-drawn maps by various generations, fanned to reveal diverse interpretations of the same territory, questioning the stability of borders. A version with Italian maps uses carbon paper to overlay sketches into a single intricate sheet. The installation "I live under your sky too" displays the title in Hindi, Urdu, and English, evoking planetary sharing. "Stars on the flags of the world" features wax stars—equal in volume to the artist's body—scattered on the floor; visitors may take one, causing the installation to evolve. Another work with the same title is an embroidered canvas hung diagonally. Gupta's art critiques state mechanisms of classification and exclusion, advocating for a more inclusive human collectivity. The exhibition runs until March 1, 2026.