fake jewel, 2002

kenyan born multimedia artist wangechi mutu, known for her politically and socially charged work focusing on african diaspora, has been coined winner of the deutsche bank’s first ‘artist of the year’ award. as part of the title, she will receive a survey of her work opening this april at the deutsche guggenheim. a selection of her work will be acquired by the deutsche bank collection and distributed amongst its various offices.

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank awardI put a spell on you, 2005

mutu’s body of work has tapped on sensitive issues such as the contradictions of the female gender and cultural identity. her mixed media work makes references to colonial history, contemporary african politics and the international fashion industry. she uses the aesthetics of traditional crafts, science fiction and funkadelia to document the contemporary myth making of endangered cultural heritage.

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank awardthis you call civilization, 2007

in the nomination process, curator okwui enwezor who was part of the jury at the guggenheim quoted:

‘her body of work is one that is very much engaged with the global image ecology, and her engagement with the archeology of that ecology is what makes it interesting… the constant excavation of her process, the constant excavation of her own ideas, and her breaking boundaries within that.‘

the exhibition will be on display at the deutsche guggenheim until june 13 and discussions about a tour to south africa and asia are currently underway. read more here.

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank awardblue rose, 2007

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank awardfoxy lady, 2001

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank awardholy ghost, 2007

wangechi mutu: deutsche bank award untitled (crowns), 2006, deutsche bank collection