Olav Christopher Jenssen, internationally recognised Norwegian artist, chairs the jury for the Statoil art award 2009.
“We are looking for a young artist with enough energy, curiosity and knowledge to appreciate and handle this award,” says Jenssen.
Resident in Berlin, Jenssen is a professor at Germany’s second biggest art academy in Braunschweig in addition to working as an artist.
Senior vice president for corporate human resources Jens R Jenssen and chair of the jury Olav Christopher Jenssen agree that the world needs heroes who can provide motivation and inspiration.
This year’s winner of the NOK 500,000 prize will be chosen during an exhibition of work by the four shortlisted nominees. The exhibition opens on 27 November at Kunstnerforbundet Gallery of Contemporary Art in Oslo, Norway.
As fellow jurors, Jenssen has chosen Solveig Øvstebø, director of Bergen Contemporary Art Center in Bergen, Caroline M Ugelstad, curator of the Henie Onstad Art Centre in Oslo, Göran Christenson, director of the Malmö Art Museum in Sweden, and Øystein Ustvedt, curator at the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo.
The art award is part of Statoil’s Heroes of Tomorrow programme, which also recognises outstanding talents in the fields of education, classical music, rock and sport. Statoil awarded its first art award to the young artist Camilla Løw in November 2007.