Antwerp-based artist Otobong Nkanga has been honored with the prestigious Nasher Prize for Sculpture, which includes a $100,000 award and an upcoming exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas in April 2025. Another significant announcement from the institution is its decision to present the award biennially rather than annually, allowing more time for the laureate and the museum to prepare.
Nkanga is renowned for her large-scale installations and performances that delve into the connection between humanity and Earth's resources, as well as the fragile and extractive nature of these ties within the context of capital and consumption systems. Her work has been featured in international biennials and solo exhibitions worldwide.
Nkanga was also the inaugural recipient of the Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award Programme, which includes a $100,000 prize and an exhibition. The selection of Nkanga for the Nasher Prize was made by a jury of prominent figures in the art world who praised her profound exploration of global issues through her art.
Jeremy Strick, Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center, highlighted Nkanga's impact by stating, "Otobong Nkanga's work vividly underscores the myriad connections - historical, sociological, economic, cultural, and spiritual - between humanity and the materials that shape our lives. Her profound exploration of the multifaceted meanings inherent in these materials underscores the vital role of sculpture in contemporary society."
Nkanga's impressive body of work has been showcased in numerous international biennials, including Documenta 14 in 2017, the 2022 Busan Biennial, the 2019 Sharjah Biennial, Manifesta 2017, and the 2019 Venice Biennale, where she received special recognition for her participation in the main exhibition. Currently, her solo exhibition is captivating audiences at the IVAM Centre Julio González in Valencia, Spain. Recent solo exhibitions have also been hosted at the Castello di Rivoli in Turin (2021-22), the Gropius Bau in Berlin (2020), Tate St Ives (2019), the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town (2019), and Tate Modern in London (2015).
Nkanga's presence in the United States has not gone unnoticed, with a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in 2018 and participation in group exhibitions such as "Witch Hunt" at the Hammer Museum in 2021 and "Black Melancholia" at Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College in 2022.
Jean Dubreil