The Omi International Arts Center, Gent, N.Y., has announced the recipients of the 2013 Francis J. Greenburger Award. The honorees are: Bruce Porter, selected by artist Frank Stella; Peter Saul, selected by gallerist Mary Boone; Jonas Mekas, selected by writer Phong Bui; Richard Nonas, selected by MASS MoCA director Joe Thompson; and Elaine Reichek, selected by collector Melva Bucksbaum. All five artists will receive an unrestricted $10,000 prize.
The Francis J. Greenburger award is given to mid-career artists whose merit has been recognized in the art world, but has yet to be appreciated by the general public. Founded in 1986, the award was created following a conversation between Greenburger, art dealer André Emmerich and critic Clement Greenburg, during which Emmerich said, “The best and brightest artist of each generation are known, but not to everyone. Ask the inner circle and they can tell you.”
“This year’s list of winners is extraordinary and offers a diverse look into what is going on in the contemporary art world today,” said Greenburger in a press release. “We started these awards almost 30 years ago and have been inspired to continue them over the years to help today’s new generation of gifted artists fuel their creativity and gain the recognition they deserve.”
The award is presented by the Omi International Arts Center, a not-for-profit arts organization with residency programs for international visual artists, writers, musicians and dancers founded by Greenburger. The Francis J. Greenburger Award ceremony will be held Mar. 12 at the New Museum in New York.
