For her work exploring cultural identity, Zhanna Kadyrova has been crowned the inaugural Her Art Prize winner.
The new prize champions groundbreaking female artists. It was created by Marie Claire France and Art Paris in partnership with luxury jewelry brand Boucheron.
Represented by Continua Gallery, Kadyrova will receive €30,000 from Boucheron; her work will also be showcased in an international campaign. Kadyrova will also be gifted a trophy crafted by Boucheron's artisans in the shape of an emerald cut—a symbol of the brand's heritage—and formed from rock crystal, the favorite material of Boucheron's founder.
Marie Claire France partnered with Boucheron and the contemporary art fair in Paris to honor female artists who explore modern themes around society and womanhood. The Her Art Prize is decided by a prestigious panel of champions of creativity, chaired by actress Élodie Bouchez.
Ukrainian-born Kadyrova works with a variety of mediums, including sculpture, photography, video, and performance art. Her work explores themes around cultural shifts, in particular post-Soviet identity, reflecting the changing landscapes of Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Kadyrova focuses on exhibition space and the immediate surroundings of her creations, allowing the context of her pieces to become part of the story. She works with local building materials, such as glass, tile, and cement, and her works are often displayed in urban settings that are connected to the pieces themselves.
"Refugees" by Zhanna Kadyrovam.
In addition to the Her Art Prize, Kadyrova was also recently awarded the Shevchenko National Prize. She is the first woman in 20 years to receive this distinction.
Boucheron is led by two influential women: Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO, and Claire Choisne, Creative Director. They aim to continue the artistic legacy that the Maison’s founder, Frédéric Boucheron, started.
Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO of Boucheron, spoke to Marie Claire France about the link between jewelry and art to explain why Boucheron was an ideal partner for the campaign.
"Our connection with art is almost natural, even filial, because jewelry is an art in its own right. We have this passion ingrained in our bodies," she explains.
The CEO continues, "It's not about making something beautiful for the sake of it, but about making everything meaningful. So, when we launched the Or Bleu collection last July, our aim was also to talk about the preciousness of water." She adds: "This project touches me deeply, both as a woman leader and an art enthusiast. It represents another way for us to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and creativity while supporting the next generation of talented women."
Guillaume Piens, Art Paris Director, said of the collaboration, "Working to reinforce the visibility of women artists by creating a prize in partnership with Marie Claire—a magazine that has already greatly contributed to the cause of women’s emancipation—is the logical next step."
The Her Art Prize jury brought together influential figures in art and media to judge the awards at Boucheron Apartment at the Maison's flagship address, 26 Place Vendôme.
The full panel included Elodie Bouchez (French actor and president of the Jury), Hélène Poulit-Duquesne (Boucheron CEO), Cécile Debray (president of the Musée National Picasso Paris), Rabih Kayrouz (fashion designer and member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture), and Katell Pouliquen (editor-in-chief of Marie Claire France), in addition to more distinguished creatives, curators, and academics.
Marion Vignal, art consultant, exhibition curator, and Marie Claire contributing author, collaborated with Guillaume Piens, Director of Art Paris, to select the Her Art Prize finalists.
The 12 finalists, below, work across various disciplines and styles.
Sama Alshaibi (1975, American) - Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
Maty Biayenda (1998, French) - Double V Gallery
Gillian Brett (1990, French) - C+N Gallery Canepaneri
Suzanne Husky (1975, French) - Galerie Alain Gutharc
Oda Jaune (1979, Bulgarian) - Templon
Zhanna Kadyrova (1981, Ukrainian) - Continua
Mari Katayama (1987, Japanese) - Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève
Evi Keller (1968, German) - Galerie Jeanne Bucher Jaeger
Mathilde Rosier (1973, French) - Pauline Pavec
Kiki Smith (1954, American) - Galerie Lelong Co.
Thu Van Tran (1979, French-Vietnamese) - Meessen , Almine Rech , Rüdiger Schöttle
Agnès Thurnauer (1962, French) - Galerie Michel Rein
This article was originally published on Marie Claire UK.