September 2013: Absolut Art Awards Stockholm Sweden

Artist Susan Hiller, chief curator of El Museo del Barrio Chus Martinez, Jury President Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev,
artist Renata Lucas, Writer Coco Fusco, Vadim Grigorian, director of Tensta Konsthall Maria Lind, and Kunsthalle Zürich's Beatrix Ruf
 

by Noah Becker, photos by Michael Anderson

Stockholm Sweden was abuzz for the 2013 Absolut Art Awards and Whitehot Magazine was in attendance for the festivities. This year's programme featured the artist award with an added art writing award. The award for art writers further highlights Absolut Vodka's dedication to the art world since Andy Warhol created the first Absolut artist bottle in the 1980s. Art institutions such as Tensta Konsthall, Bonniers Konsthall, Magasin 3, the Moderna Museet and Absolut's own Spiritmuseum were partners in the weekend. The Lapsis residences featured private studio visits with artists such as Whitney Biennial favourite Wu Tsang. Commercial galleries such as Andréhn-Schiptjenko and Galerie Nordenhake also partnered with the Absolut Art Bureau under the direction of Saskia Neuman.

Coco Fusco won the art writing award of 20,000 Euros, with an additional budget of up to 25,000 Euros for the publication and distribution of a new book with a major publisher. Renata Lucas won the artist award of 20,000 Euros and a budget of up to 100,000 Euros to develop a new art work for donation to an Absolut partner art institution.

A gala dinner was held at Stockholm's Butterfly Museum with an international guest list such as Kunsthalle Zurich director Beatrix Ruf and a host of art journalists from magazines like UK based FAD also Artforum, Sleek and Interview Magazine were in attendance. The dinner presented Absolut's exceptional new vodka called Elyx. WM

Absolut Art Awards gala dinner at the buttlerfly museum, Stockholm

Absolut Edit Editor-in-Chief Karl-Johan Bogefors

Director Kunsthalle Zurich and Absolut jury member Beatrix Ruf

Absolut jury president Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and Absolut's Vadim Grigorian

 Absolut jury president Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev art category winner
Renata Lucas and Absolut's Vadim Grigorian

Absolut principal advisor Andras Szanto

Absolut Art Bureau's Saskia Neuman

Absolut's Vadim Grigorian and director Kunsthalle Zurich Beatrix Ruf  at the Absolut awards

Nominated writer Hamza Walker

Winner in the writing category Coco Fusco and curator author Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
discuss Fusco winning writing proposal

Absolut Art Award winning writer Coco Fusco

Tensta Konsthall presentation by director Maria Lind

Tensta Konsthall

Stockholm 

View of Stockholm

Sleek magazine's Hili Perlson

Whitehot Magazine publisher/artist Noah Becker

Mr. Smith's agency Kristoffer Holfve 

Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall curators Tessa Praun and
Richard Julin discuss the current exhibition "On the Tip of My Tongue"  

Journalist Marcus Woeller 

ICA London programming director Katharine Stout

FAD magazine editor Mark Westall
 
Writers, artists and curators tour Stockholm

Artist writer and Absolut writing nominee Luis Camnitzer

Bonniers Konsthall curator Theodor Ringborg with
Gallerie Nordenhake Artist Meriç Algün Ringborg 

Absolut writing nominee Lars Bang Larsen

Artist nominee Theaster Gates 

Artistic director Documenta (13) and Absolut Art Award Jury President Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev,
artist Susan Hiller and Tensta Konsthall director Maria Lind at the Absolut Art Nominations 

Artist nominee Anna Boghiguian

Sutton PR's Richenda Devereux 

Absolut Vodka PR manager Andrew Rozas 

Absolut Vodka global project leader Vadim Grigorian and
director Kunsthalle Zurich Beatrix Ruf at the Absolute Art Awards Nominations 

Press conference for the 2013 Absolut Art Awards