Rosana Paulino wins Munch Museum’s Inaugural £20,000 Award

Artistic freedom is under increasing political and social pressure, and within this context, MUNCH has created a new annual award of NOK 300,000 / £20,000 to recognise an artist who has distinguished themselves with courage and integrity throughout their career.

Edvard Munch (1863–1944) was a champion of artistic freedom, experimentation and individual liberation in his time. The museum continues this legacy as a space for artistic expression, generating novel perspectives and fostering dialogue and understanding. The MUNCH Award will be presented annually in the spirit of Edvard Munch, using the museum's international reach to highlight important issues that artists have raised through their work and participation in public discourse.

“Rosana Paulino has contributed to some of the most important conversations about art, histories and society in Brazil and beyond. Over the course of several decades, she has radically committed her artistic practice to unpacking the violent histories and continuities of gender and race. She has created an immensely broad and poetic oeuvre of installations, drawings, artist’s books and videos. Through her teaching practice, Paulino has continuously been engaged in an intergenerational dialogue. With this award, the jury wishes to honour Paulino as an artist who has also been a leading voice of Black feminism with a steadfast commitment to the struggle of Afro-Brazilian communities, and the on-going fight against racism.”

The jury is comprised of three external members Wanda Nanibush, Yvette Mutumba, and Cosmin Costinaș, alongside Tone Hansen and Tominga O’Donnell from MUNCH. Through a process of deliberation and discussion, the jury collectively selected Rosana Paulino for the inaugural award.

Main Image: Rosana Paulino