KYIV.- Emilija Škarnulytė (Lithuania) is the winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2019, the fifth edition of the global art prize for artists under 35, established by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in 2009. The winner was announced by the international jury at the award ceremony in the PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine on 22 March. Emilija Škarnulytė received a total of $100,000: $60,000 as a cash prize, and $40,000 to fund their artistic practice.

An additional $20,000 was awarded between Special Prize winners Gabrielle Goliath (South Africa) and Cooking Sections (UK).

The winners were chosen by the prize’s distinguished international jury, consisting of: Pablo León de la Barra, curator at large, Latin America, Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, New York; Björn Geldhof, artistic director, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv; Gabi Ngcobo, curator, 10th Berlin Biennale; Tim Marlow, artistic director, Royal Academy of Arts, London; and Hoor Al Qasimi, president, Sharjah Art Foundation and International Biennial Association.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the prize, Björn Geldhof, artistic director, PinchukArtCentre comments:

"It is exciting to be part of a prize which champions current, dynamic and talented young artists. The truly global nature of the prize allows creative voices from all over the world to be represented. Aptly for this year’s edition of the Future Generation Art Prize, which is now in its 10th year, the work explores the ‘archaeology of the future’, questioning the possibilities of tomorrow. All the artists in this year’s exhibition have shown an undisputed quality of artistic acumen – deciding the ultimate winner was incredibly difficult."

Commenting on Emilija Škarnulytė as the winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2019, the Jury said:

"Emilija Škarnulytė’s work “t 1 ⁄ 2” stems from deep and extensive research which has been translated in a coherent and confident way. The jury found its scale, rhythm and pace mesmerising alongside its capacity to deal with vast expanses of time in a precise manner.

Her use of video expands into a multi-dimentional experience, confronting many of the major issues facing humanity which are often left unspoken. Without being overtly didactic, the work stays open-ended and poetic while raising fundamental questions about where we come from, who we are and where we might end-up."

Commenting on Gabrielle Goliath as the winner of the Special Prize, the Jury said:

"We admired her handling of such difficult and important subject matter in a touching yet sharp manner in the work “This song is for...”. It speaks directly and emotionally to the viewer while generating a powerful sense of discomfort. The work leaves room for personal reflection and maintains respect for the six individual testimonies."

Commenting on Cooking Sections as the winner of the Special Prize, the Jury said:

"We have a deep respect for artistic practice that engages with serious issues. Through the work “CLIMAVORE: For the Rights of the Soil Not to be Exhausted”, Cooking Sections proposes a better future and successfully engages a broader public to increase awareness of such issues.

All the shortlisted artists will take part in the Future Generation Art Prize 2019 @ Venice group exhibition organised by the PinchukArtCentre as an official Collateral Event of the 58th International Art Exhibition at Palazzo Ca’ Tron. As the winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2019, Emilija Škarnulytė will present her solo show at the PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv, in 2020."

The exhibition of the 21 shortlisted artists for the fifth edition of the Future Generation Art Prize is on show at the PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine until 7 April 2019, curated by Björn Geldhof and Tatiana Kochubinska, curator, Research Platform at the PinchukArtCentre. The show presents works by the following shortlisted artists and groups: Alia Farid (Kuwait), Monira Al Qadiri (Senegal), Yu Araki (Japan), Korakrit Arunanondchai (Thailand), Kasper Bosmans (Belgium), Madison Bycroft (Australia), Gabrielle Goliath (South Africa), Rodrigo Hernández (Mexico), Laura Huertas Millán (Columbia), Marguerite Humeau (France) Eli Lundgaard (Sweden), Taus Makhacheva (Russia), Toyin Ojih Odutola (Nigeria), Sondra Perry (United States), Gala Porras-Kim (Columbia), Emilija Škarnulytė (Lithuania), Jakob Steensen (Denmark), Daniel Turner (United States), Anna Zvyagintseva (Ukraine) and artist collectives Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme and Cooking Sections.

Anna Zvyagintseva is included as the winner of the PinchukArtCentre Prize 2018 – a national contemporary art prize awarded to young Ukrainian artists up to the age of 35. All other artists were chosen by an international selection committee, which includes: Natalia Valencia Arango, Associate Curator, Estancia Femsa Casa Barragán (Mexico City); Julie Boukobza, Director of Luma Arles residency programme and 89plus residency at the Lab of the Google Cultural Institute (Paris); Tatiana Kochubinska, Curator, Research Platform at the PinchukArtCentre (Kyiv). Tumelo Mosaka, Chief Curator for the Investec Cape Town Art Fair; Zeynep Öz, Curator, Turkish Pavilion at the Venice Biennial 2019 (Istanbul) and Richard Riley, independent curator and Chair of the Gilbert & George Centre (London).