Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija receives the second annual Absolut Art Award, a EUR15.000 prize instituted by ABSOLUT VODKA, to celebrate artists challenging conventions through the integration of art forms. Appointed chairman of the Absolut Art Award jury 2010, Christine Macel, Chief Curator at Centre Pompidou, will award Tiravanija in a ceremony in Stockholm on November, 4.
The jury’s citation reads: “Rirkrit Tiravanija is awarded the Absolut Art Award 2010 for his ability to rule out conventional categorization. Tiravanija’s expressive world is one of hospitality and generosity. Through social events, cooking, sharing, and architectural environments, often reflecting on art, Rirkrit humbly invites the audience to interact”.
Born in Buenos Aires, 1961, the Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija is widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of his generation. His work defies media-based description, as his practice combines traditional object making, public and private performances, teaching, and other forms of public service and social action. Often, his installations take the form of social stages for sharing meals, cooking, reading and playing music – and his works are sometimes referred to as relational art. As the artist himself put it: “It is not what you see that is important but what takes place between people”.
The day after receiving the award, Tiravanija and his entourage will do a cook-out performance at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. The performance, titled “Je ne travaille jamais”, is part of the welcome party celebrating Daniel Birnbaum’s first week as Director of Moderna Museet. Japanese free thinker Mai Ueda, and several additional artists will also perform at the event. During his stay in Stockholm, Rirkrit Tiravanija will also give a lecture at Atelier, a new undisclosed venue, hosted by The Absolut Company.
“Our first art ad, ABSOLUT WARHOL, was immediately recognized as a classic advertisement. Since then we have had a long-standing and fruitful relationship with the creative world, reinforced recently through our latest creative collaboration with Spike Jonze. Absolut Art Award is instituted to strengthen this liaison further,” says Anna Malmhake, Vice President Global Marketing, at The Absolut Company. “Absolut Art Award rewards today’s most new-thinking artistry, and Tiravanija’s social sculpturing definitely puts him at the forefront of contemporary culture.”
Christine Macel, Chief Curator at Centre Pompidou, chairs the Absolut Art Award jury, following Daniel Birnbaum, who is retiring from the position in connection with his appointment as Director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm . The jury further consists of Keren Cytter, last year’s winner of the Absolut Art Award, Thomas Nordanstad, filmmaker and curator, Anna Malmhake, Vice President Global Marketing, The Absolut Company and Goran Lundqvist, Chairman of the board at Sweden’s Historical Museum of Wine & Spirits. Tiravanija will be part of next year’s jury.