NEW YORK, NY.- The Armory Show and Athena Art Finance Corp. announced Mariane Ibrahim Gallery (Seattle) as the winner of the inaugural Presents Booth Prize.

The Presents Booth Prize, supported in its inaugural year by Athena Art Finance, is a new initiative recognizing an outstanding and innovative gallery presentation within the Presents section of the fair.

By a majority decision, the international jury of collectors and curators awarded Mariane Ibrahim Gallery a $10,000 prize for its exemplary solo-presentation of multi-media works by Zohra Opoku, a German and Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist living and working in Accra. Opoku’s work employs media including installations, photography and video to explore the sophistication of textile cultures in disparate spaces, targeting fashion’s political and psychological role and socio-cultural dynamics in relation to African history and individualistic or societal identities.

Members of the Presents Booth Prize Jury:

• Renee Drake, collector, the Netherlands
• Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director, New Museum, New York
• Ruba Katrib, Curator, SculptureCenter, Long Island City
• Alain Servais, Collector, Brussels
• Carole Server, Collector, New York

“We would like to thank The Armory Show for giving us the opportunity to present our project,” says Mariane Ibrahim-Lenhardt, Founder, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. “We are deeply humbled and honored to receive this prize. I'd like to dedicate it to the presented artist Zohra Opoku, whose commitment and excellence in her art practice has helped bring new narratives into an exciting global narrative. And, this Present Prize also aligns with the recognition of African descent contributions in the arts industry.”

“Athena is delighted to congratulate Mariane Ibrahim Gallery on winning the Armory’s first-ever Booth Prize,” says Andrea Danese, Chief Executive Officer of Athena Art Finance. “We are also pleased that our sponsorship of the prize and partnership with The Armory Show has resulted in a robust process that evaluated 30 galleries, all of which have emerged and should be noted as significant young galleries. Nurturing these new entrants in the market, and supporting more established galleries and dealers through our new gallery financing program, is a natural extension of Athena’s mission to support the full spectrum of the global art market as a leading lender and provider of financial solutions.”

“Promoting young galleries and nurturing their growth is central to The Armory Show’s vision,” says Benjamin Genocchio, Executive Director of The Armory Show. “We are so thrilled to have this exceptional jury of curators and collectors here supporting this initiative and thankful to Athena Art Finance for their generous and enthusiastic support. Each of our participating Presents galleries deserves recognition for their outstanding presentations this year and for their enduring contribution to the fair’s overall quality and experience.”