Lubaina Himid, a renowned artist whose prominence has soared in recent years, has been awarded the prestigious Maria Lassnig Prize. The prize includes €50,000 (approximately $55,000) and a significant solo exhibition at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, in collaboration with the institution for this edition. Lubaina Himid has a prolific career spanning an impressive four decades, during which she has made a profound impact with her innovative practice that combines sculpture, installation, set design, collage, and painting.
Her work often explores the legacies of racism and the experiences of being a Black person and an immigrant in the United Kingdom. Born in Zanzibar and now based in Preston, England, Himid’s artistic endeavors extend beyond her own practice. In the 1980s, she founded the influential Blk Art Group, a collective of Black British artists.
Philip Tinari, director of UCCA, expressed his admiration for Himid’s artistic contributions, stating, “Lubaina Himid’s bold formal innovations and trenchant historical explorations have established her as one of the most important voices in global contemporary art. UCCA is honored and thrilled to be able to present her work to audiences in China for the first time.”
Himid’s art has been showcased in prestigious biennials, including the Havana Biennale (1994), Gwangju Biennale in South Korea (2014), Istanbul Biennial (2015), Berlin Biennale (2018), and Sharjah Biennial (2019 and 2023). Her work has also been featured in notable exhibitions such as “The Place Is Here,” which premiered at Nottingham Contemporary in 2017 before traveling to London and Manchester, and “When We See Us” at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town. In 2021, Tate Modern dedicated a solo exhibition to her remarkable body of work.
Despite her significant influence, Himid gained greater international recognition after winning the Turner Prize in 2017, becoming the first Black woman to receive the prestigious accolade. The following year, she was elected to the Royal Academy and appointed as a Commander of the British Empire. Last year, she was named the recipient of the 2024 Suzanne Deal Booth/FLAG Art Foundation Prize, which includes $200,000 and an exhibition at the Contemporary Austin in Texas.
The Maria Lassnig Prize, conceived by the late artist Maria Lassnig before her passing in 2014 at the age of 94, is awarded biennially to a mid-career artist. Lassnig, who herself gained significant recognition late in her career, aimed to provide artists with greater exposure during pivotal moments in their artistic journeys. Previous recipients of the prize include Cathy Wilkes (2017), Sheela Gowda (2019), and Atta Kwami (2021).
Peter Pakesch, chair of the Maria Lassnig Foundation, remarked, “In just a few short years, the Maria Lassnig Prize has emerged as a prestigious award that honors artists in the midst of their careers, recognizing their exceptional talent and the need for greater recognition, according to the esteemed jury.” The prize continues to elevate the careers of deserving artists and celebrate their outstanding contributions to the art world.