Museion Prize 1

Museion consistently involved young international and local artists in its temporary and collection exhibition program and in various other formats and partnerships, ranging from the Museion at the Eurac Tower to the Garutti Cube and the art projections on its Media Façade. In 2012, when the Museion Passage was opened, not only did the museum demonstrate its desire to include and work together with all the people taking an active role in the contemporary culture of the Alto Adige area, it also led to the creation of an experimental space known as the Project Room.

Specifically designed to present new projects, this space on the ground floor of the Museion quickly became a well-known platform for discovering and launching young artists. The artists that have displayed their work in the Project Room include Leander Schwazer, Vera Comploj, Francesco Arena, Sonia Leimer, Rä Di Martino, Judith Fegerl, Diego Perrone, Sven Sachsalber, Gabriela Oberkofler, Chiara Fumai, Hubert Kostner, and Leopold Kessler. In 2015, this willingness to constantly search for new formats and stimulate interaction with young creative talents led to the creation of the Museion Award.

Sponsored by the Austrian entrepreneur, Hans Peter Haselsteiner, in collaboration with the Museion, the award seeks to promote and sustain young artists aged under thirty-five who have embarked on important artistic and research paths. In line with its policy of being an institution that is both aware of and involved with the cultures around it, the Museion has opened the award to artists operating in Italy (and particularly in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano), Switzerland, and Austria. In line with this vision, the directors of the AMACI  (Association of Italian Contemporary Art Museums) as well as directors from various contemporary art institutions in Austria and Switzerland were asked to take part in the first stage of the nominations.

The latter were invited to put forward an artist aged under thirty-five and a large artwork or installation that had been created in the last two years. An international jury made up of Beatrix Ruf—Director of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Giovanni Carmine—Director of the Kunst Halle St. Gallen, Karola Kraus—Director of the Mumok Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig in Vienna, and Diana Baldon—Director of the Malmö Konsthall (up until May 2016) then selected three finalists who were invited to display their work at the Museion. A fourth finalist was also added in a joint nomination made by the directors of ar/ge kunst, Kunst Meranǀo Arte, and the Museion.