Toyko-born architect Shigeru Ban has been awarded with the 2014 Pritzker Prize, recognizing his work with low-cost emergency shelters and temporary structures at natural and man-made disaster sites around the world.   “Receiving this prize is a great honor,” Ban says, “and with it, I must be careful. I must continue to listen to the people I work for, in my private residential commissions and in my disaster relief work. I see this prize as encouragement for me to keep doing what I am doing — not to change what I am doing, but to grow.” (more…)

Sculptor Antony Gormley was honored with knighthood this New Year’s Day.  “I’m really very humbled and delighted.  I think Britain has this extraordinary history of people who think through making things that live in our world and are to be shared.” (more…)

Former Turner Prize winner Steve McQueen is included on the shortlist of Hugo Boss Prize finalists, alongside Camille Henrot, this year’s Venice Biennale Silver Lion winner for most promising new artist, Charline Von Heyl, and several others.  The winner will receive a $100,000 prize, as well as an exhibition at the Guggenheim. (more…)

Laure Prouvost, via The Guardian

Tonight Laure Prouvost was awarded the Turner Prize of £25,000 ($33,850).  Prouvost was nominated for her works, Wantee, commissioned with Grizedale Arts, which was shown as part of the Schwitters in Britain exhibition at Tate Britain, and Farfromwords: car mirrors eat raspberries when swimming through the sun, to swallow sweet smells, which was made during her residency in Italy as the recipient of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women and which was exhibited at the Whitechapel Gallery.  Born in Lille, France in 1978, Prouvost has lived in London since she began studying at Central St. Martins arts college.  Prouvost is known for films which frequently employ deliberate language misuse, text and image juxtapositions, fast-paced cuts, montage, and which are situated within atmospheric installations.  The 2013 Turner Prize exhibition runs until January 5th, 2014 at Ebrington in Derry~Londonderry. (more…)

David Shrigley, Life Model (2012), via Turner Prize

As the 2013 art calendar draws towards its conclusion this December, the annual Turner Prize exhibition has opened its doors, this time in the Northern Irish town of Derry-Londonderry, to four of Great Britain’s most prominent and talented artists: Tino Seghal, David Shrigley, Laure Prouvost and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.  The annual prize, which will be awarded today, December 2nd, opens to one of its most diverse sets of final entries in past years, spanning a complex body of work that includes performance, choreography, video, sculpture, drawing, and painting among a worldly group of artists that call the UK their home.

Tino Seghal, via Turner Prize (more…)

The New York Times profiles Adam Szymczyk, the current curator of Kunsthalle Basel, examining his current contributions to contemporary art, and some of the groundbreaking work he has done in the past years.  “He is able to identify what is happening in the zeitgeist,” said Iwona Blazwick of Whitechapel Gallery, “to have his finger on the pulse and create the intellectual framework within which to understand it.” (more…)

The chairman of the Pace Gallery, Arne Glimcher, has been appointed to the rank of Officer in the National Order of the Legion of Honor by decree of the President of the French Republic.  The highest honor bestowed on either French citizen or foreigner, Glimcher joins the ranks of fellow Americans Thomas Edison, Simon Newcomb, and John Singer Sargent, as thanks for his “exemplary commitment to the vitality of art worldwide.” (more…)

This year’s ArtPrize awards are now underway, with the public voting on works in 16 categories to distribute over $560,000 in prizes.  Held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the award was created by one Rick DeVos, a philanthropist looking to shake things up in the small town. “I wanted to help develop a creative culture, one that’s open to new experiences and ideas,” DeVos said. “We’re very Midwestern here in Grand Rapids. Everybody does their thing and goes about their business. ArtPrize disrupts that.” (more…)

Rhizome has announced its list of 2013 Commission Award Winners, including its first round of award recipients for the Tumblr Internet Art Award.  Projects run the spectrum of internet and performance based works, including an online television show by Colin Self and American Medium, an app design by Aaron Meyers and Lauren McCarthy titled God’s Eyes (where one user at a time is granted omniscient access to all other user’s camera phones), a new visualization system for net art collective The Jogging, and even a one-week national tour by performance art/musical duo Extreme Animals. (more…)

President Barack Obama’s administration has announced the winners of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, including Ellsworth Kelly on the list of recipients.  Kelly, who turned 90 this year, is currently in the spotlight for a trio of New York shows this spring and summer, spanning the range of his career, and will accept the award tonight in Washington, DC.  Other recipients include landscape architect Laurie Olin. (more…)

In celebration of its first broadcast of a national televised awards show from Brooklyn, MTV has recruited artist KAWS to redesign the Video Music Awards statue for its August 25th broadcast from the Barclays Center.  The one off design translates the iconic image of Buzz Aldrin planting a flag on the moon (affectionately referred to as “The Moonman”), replacing Aldrin with the artist’s “Companion” character.  “The connection to Brooklyn, it felt like it was the perfect time to reinvent an iconic image,” said MTV President Stephen Friedman. “Consistent with our DNA of creative reinvention and constant reinvention, this felt like a perfect marriage.” (more…)

Tino Sehgal with his Golden Lion for best artist at the Venice Biennale, via The Guardian

At a press conference this morning, the officials for the 55th Venice Biennale announced the winners of this year’s event’s Golden Lion awards.  British artist Tino Seghal took home the Best Artist in the International Exhibition award for his bizarre, kinetic performance piece at The Encyclopedic Palace, while first-time Biennale attendee Angola was given the award for best national participation.  A full account of awards is listed below:

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Artist Mark di Suvero has been awarded a gold medal by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, alongside writer E.L. Doctorow, and honorary inductee Bob Dylan.  The 100-year old award is given to two American citizens each year, rotating every six years between a pair of artistic disciplines.  Past sculpture nominees have included Martin Puryear, Richard Serra and Louise Bourgeois. (more…)

The Shortlist for the 2013 Turner Prize was announced today, including artists Laure Prouvost, Tino Sehgal, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and David Shrigley.  The winner of the award will be announced on December 2nd, and the presentation of the award this year will occur in Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland as part of its year as UK City of Culture.  “The Turner prize is on everyone’s lips. There is a level of real excitement. Having the Turner prize in Derry will create the biggest impact the Turner prize will have had on anywhere in its history.”  says executive producer for the City of Culture Graeme Farrow. (more…)

Tracey Emin has been honored with a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for her contributions to the arts.  Emerging as a leading member of the UK’s 1990’s contemporary arts scene, Emin was recognized for her ongoing contributions to British culture.  “Its amazing that I’ve been given this because its recognition for what I believe in and what I’ve worked for, so it’s a great feeling,” she said. (more…)