In the statement of the jury, which in 2020 consisted of Katharina Brandl (Kunstraum Niederoesterreich), Astrid Peterle (donaufestival), Stefanie Sourial (Artist) and Luisa Ziaja (Belvedere 21), the following was stated:
H13 2020 Jury Statement:
“Julischka Stengele’s project BALLAST | EXISTENZ addresses the ambiguity of the term “performance”: performance as a guiding economic concept in society and performance as a medium in art. Who has to, who is allowed to, who can deliver performance, especially in times of the COVID-19 pandemic? In her performance, which will be presented at Kunstraum Niederoesterreich on September 3, 2020, the artist gets to the heart of highly topical questions concerning how we live together: Which bodies – especially these days – are considered a burden? How can solidarity, how can relationality between bodies be conceived when physical distancing seems to be the order of the day? Julischka Stengele’s art is characterised – as she says herself – by an unequivocal advocacy of a queer, feminist, and body positive practice. This year the H13 Lower Austria Prize for Performance goes to an artist who stands out as a loud proponent of diversity in contemporary art and has enriched the Viennese art scene, uncompromisingly and tenaciously, with her performances and curatorial projects.”
The performance and festive H13 award ceremony will take place on September 3, 2020 at Kunstraum Niederoesterreich.
