The Carnegie Art Award has been instituted to support skilled artists in the Nordic countries and to promote contemporary painting. It is today one of the world’s largest art prizes, this year showing 21 of the most prominent contemporary artists of the Nordic countries at a touring exhibition that arrives in London on 18 November.
The Carnegie Art Award consists of four parts: the touring exhibition of selected works, a documentation of the exhibition in the form of a book, a film portraying the participating artists and awards to four of the artists.
Twenty-six experts on Nordic contemporary painting each nominated up to five of the most prominent contemporary artists in or from the Nordic region for the Carnegie Art Award 2006. The nominators included representatives from art museums and art schools as well as critics and other specialists on contemporary art in the Nordic countries. Nominators were appointed for one year and their identities were withheld until the book was published.
The Carnegie Art Award is open to artists who are citizens of, or living in, a Nordic country. Artists who have participated in previous Carnegie Art Award exhibitions can be nominated again. All nominated artists have each been invited to contribute up to five works of art to the Carnegie Art Award. The works should have been made during the last two years to reflect the current state of painting in the Nordic countries. 115 artists were nominated for the 2006 Carnegie Art Award and the 21 artists shorlisted for the award were:
- Kathrine Ærtebjerg, Denmark
- Karin Mamma Andersson, Sweden
- Lise Blomberg Andersen, Denmark
- Jesper Christiansen, Denmark
- Steingrímur Eyfjörd, Iceland
- Erik A. Frandsen, Denmark
- Jan Håfström, Sweden
- Maria Lindberg, Sweden
- Petra Lindholm, Finland
- Josefin Lyche, Norway
- Sirous Namazi, Sweden
- Ole Jørgen Ness, Norway
- Astrid Nondal, Norway
- Jón Óskar, Iceland
- Eggert Pétursson, Iceland
- Finnbogi Pétursson, Iceland
- Henrik Samuelsson, Sweden
- Marjatta Tapiola, Finland
- Kira Wager, Norway
- Magnus Wallin, Sweden
- Rafael Wardi, Finland
The first prize of the Carnegie Art Award 2006 was awarded to Karin Mamma Andersson, Sweden, the second prize to Eggert Pétursson, Iceland, and the third prize to Petra Lindholm, Finland. Sirous Namazi, Sweden, received the scholarship to a young artist. The artists received the awards during the inauguration of the exhibition at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Høvikodden, Norway on 28 September last year.
The Scottish nobleman David Carnegie introduced the name Carnegie in 1803 when he founded D. Carnegie & Co in Gothenburg together with a Swedish partner. The firm developed into the biggest trade and shipping business in Gothenburg, focusing on iron and timber products. Later, sugar and porter were included among the dominant commodities. Since the turn of the century, the business has developed towards credit and financial markets. The investment bank Langenskiöld was acquired in the 1960s and later changed its name to Carnegie. Today, Carnegie is a leading Nordic Investment Bank focusing on equity broking, investment banking and asset management. Carnegie has businesses in eight countries and approximately 700 employees. It is hopeed that the Carnegie Art Award will contribute to increased Nordic affinity and give expression to Nordic quality and creativity.
The Carnegie Art Award 2006 - Exhibition
18 November – 26 November, Monday - Sunday, 10am to 6pm
Royal College of Art,
Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU
Kira Wager, Graffiti 2.8, 2005, oil on pvc, 140×210cm