AwardNovember 11, 2024
Cecilia Vicuña and Julian Charrière. Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize
The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (MOCA) has announced the winners of the inaugural Eric and Wendy Schmidt Environment and Art Prize, an award designed to support artists addressing crucial issues related to art, sustainability, and environmental justice. The recipients, Cecilia Vicuña and Julian Charrière, will each receive a $100,000 honorarium and institutional support to present their projects in 2026.
This prize, funded by philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt, will be awarded every two years until 2030. Initially intended for only one artist, the jury decided to honor both for their complementary approaches in exploring environmental issues through art.
Vicuña, with a career spanning over six decades, will present a “Quipu of Encounters,” which will foster the exchange of ideas and strategies among communities fighting for the right to water. Meanwhile, Charrière, known for his interdisciplinary practice that includes film and sculpture, will develop a project addressing the fragility of planetary water systems.
The selection of the winners was made by a five-member jury after receiving nominations from a committee of 15 to 20 representatives from various disciplines.
This prize, funded by philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt, will be awarded every two years until 2030. Initially intended for only one artist, the jury decided to honor both for their complementary approaches in exploring environmental issues through art.
Vicuña, with a career spanning over six decades, will present a “Quipu of Encounters,” which will foster the exchange of ideas and strategies among communities fighting for the right to water. Meanwhile, Charrière, known for his interdisciplinary practice that includes film and sculpture, will develop a project addressing the fragility of planetary water systems.
The selection of the winners was made by a five-member jury after receiving nominations from a committee of 15 to 20 representatives from various disciplines.
