HUGO BOSS Group: HUGO BOSS Prize

For a quarter of a century, the Hugo Boss Prize has been at the center of the Guggenheim’s commitment to contemporary art. We recognize and applaud HUGO BOSS for their visionary partnership in this longstanding program, which has made significant contributions to the cultural landscape and introduced the work of many influential artists to a global audience.

Richard Armstrong (2021)

Excellent art for over twenty years

For more than 25 years, HUGO BOSS in cooperation with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation honored contemporary artists whose work has constituted a significant contribution to the evolution of the contemporary visual arts. The prize was awarded for the first time in 1996. Within two decades that have passed since, the HUGO BOSS PRIZE has become one of the most recognized accolades in contemporary art.

The prize, which carried a stipend of 100,000 US dollars, was awarded every other year. The winners also had the opportunity to showcase their works in a solo exhibit at the renowned Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Remarkable diversity distinguished the winners of the past years. There were no restrictions regarding nationality, age, sex or the chosen art form. Thus the HUGO BOSS PRIZE succeeded in acquainting the public with a wide range of artistic disciplines.

Deana Lawson is the winner of the 2020 HUGO BOSS PRIZE

Deana Lawson had been awarded the HUGO BOSS PRIZE 2020. She is the 13th artist and yet first photographer to receive the biennial accolade. Lawson was selected from a short-list of six finalists, which included Nairy Baghramian, Kevin Beasley, Elias Sime, Cecilia Vicuña and Adrián Villar Rojas.

Deana Lawson is the winner of the 2020 HUGO BOSS PRIZE

Deana Lawson had been awarded the HUGO BOSS PRIZE 2020. She is the 13th artist and yet first photographer to receive the biennial accolade. Lawson was selected from a short-list of six finalists, which included Nairy Baghramian, Kevin Beasley, Elias Sime, Cecilia Vicuña and Adrián Villar Rojas.

Timeline of the earlier prize winners

1996 | Matthew Barney

American artist Matthew Barney enjoys worldwide recognition for his varied work, which includes drawings, photographs, film, sculptures and performance art. His work "The Cremaster Cycle" (1994 – 2002) is generally regarded as one of the most original films in avant-garde cinema.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 1996", Guggenheim Museum SoHo, New York, November 19, 1996 through February 16, 1997

1998 | Douglas Gordon

The Scottish artist's installations and videos are preoccupied with the topics of identity, remembrance and perception. He disrupts the traditional format of the video by the simultaneous use of multiple monitors and uses time lapses to reveal hidden details.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 1998", Guggenheim Museum SoHo, New York, June 24 through September 20, 1998

2000 | Marjetica Potrč

Marjetica Potrč is a Slovenian artist and architect investigating the relationship between society and architecture by means of artistic projects in the respective places. She sheds light on the way we coexist, contemplating topics such as sustainability, privacy, use of water and energy efficiency.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2000: Marjetica Potrč", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, February 9 through April 29, 2001

2002 | Pierre Huyghe

Pierre Huyghe, born in Paris in 1962, is known for his innovative, large-scale mixed-media works comprising installations and videos, in which he is often exploring the mysteries of the human condition. He is considered one of the most philosophical artists in France.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2002: Pierre Huyghe", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, January 24 through May 4, 2003

2004 | Rirkrit Tiravanija

This artist encourages his audience to enter in immediate contact with modern art in interactive installations. Thus, he overcomes the barrier between art and everyday life. In dealing with topics such as community and remembrance, he explores a wide variety of materials.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2004: Rirkrit Tiravanija", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, March 8 through May 11, 2005

2006 | Tacita Dean

After her college studies, which concentrated on painting, the English artist is now mostly active in the medium of film. Using long, contemplative takes, she directs the gaze onto the poetic details of everyday life.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2006: Tacita Dean", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, February 23 through June 6, 2007

2008 | Emily Jacir

The Palestinian artist is a poet, movie auteur and activist at the same time. Her forceful works deal with the history of migration and are also about topics such as resistance and exile.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2008: Emily Jacir", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, February 6 through April 15, 2009

2010 | Hans-Peter Feldmann

A native of Düsseldorf, Germany, he is considered as setting the standards for German conceptual art. He is committed to the fascination of collecting and documents peculiarities of modern culture by combining curios and stories in an encyclopedic manner.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2010: Hans-Peter Feldmann", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, May 20 through November 2, 2011

2012 | Danh Vo

Danh Vo was born in Vietnam and immigrated to Denmark with his family as a child. Personal experience shapes his examination of immigration, identity, homeland and cultural exchange. His provocative installations often use archival material such as documents and photos to make impressive narratives accessible to the viewer.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2012: Danh Vo, I M M U R 2", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, March 15 through May 27, 2013

2014 | Paul Chan

Paul Chan was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Nebraska. In video installations, animations and works of projection art, he confronts his audience with musings on the political climate, violence, pornography and new media.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2014: Paul Chan, Nonprojections for New Lovers", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, March 6 through May 13, 2015

2016 | Anicka Yi

With her work, the Seoul-born artist investigates the intersection of biology and politics both in the digital and in the physical world. Using concepts and techniques from scientific research, her installations create vivid fictitious scenarios that raise questions concerning the human psyche and the way our society works.

Exhibition view: "The Hugo Boss Prize 2016: Anicka Yi, Life is cheap", Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, April 21 through July 5, 2017

2018 | Simone Leigh

Simone Leigh was born in Chicago in 1967. Her sculptures, installations, video art and performances center on feminism and African-American history. The jury honored Leigh also for her commitment as a mentor of young female artists and found her focus on black women's experience in the United States to be inspiring due to its radicalism and relevance in times of a changing political and societal climate.

Simone Leigh Dunham II, 2017 Terracotta, graphite, and steel, 105.4 x 55.9 x 58.4 cm © Simone Leigh; Courtesy the artist and Luhring Augustine, New York. Photo: Farzad Owrang

HUGO BOSS PRIZE