Kemmler Foundation Art Prize

The inaugural Kemmler Foundation Art Prize 2026 has been awarded jointly to Morten Knudsen, presented by Gauli Zitter, Brussels, and Coco Klockner, presented by Romance, Pittsburgh.

Presented for the first time at Liste in 2026, the prize is awarded through the acquisition of works into the Kemmler Foundation collection. Founded as part of Kemmler Kemmler GmbH, the Kemmler Foundation supports artists, writers and interdisciplinary creative practices, with a particular focus on strengthening artistic production and cultural infrastructure.

The decision was made by the jury consisting of Liberty Adrien, Curator and Head of the Curatorial Department at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Sabine Schiffer, Founder of SCHIFFER ART CONSULTING; and Hannah Hasenclever, Friedemann Heckel and Patrik Gräb on behalf of the Kemmler Foundation.

The jury chose to honour two artists at a similarly pivotal moment in their careers. While Knudsen’s and Klockner’s practices differ in their formal approaches and tonal registers, both engage with questions of memory, transition and personal experience through distinct and highly individual artistic languages.

The jury is delighted with this choice, which not one but two artists which reflects the jury's conviction that honoring both artists shows a strong commitment to artistic excellence, complexity and plurality at this particular moment in time. Acquiring works by both artists also means particularly important and complementary additions to the Kemmler Foundation collection. – Jury Statement

The decision to award the prize jointly reflects the jury’s commitment to artistic excellence, complexity and plurality, while adding two complementary positions to the Kemmler Foundation collection.

Coco Klockner’s (*1991) multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, sound and writing. Grounded in transfeminine experience, her installations explore relationships between categorisation and personal history, legibility and agency.

Morten Knudsen’s (*1986) paintings and drawings work through repetition and abstraction. His compositions combine layered density and deliberate absence, reflecting on memory, grief and personal loss.

Liberty Adrien is Curator and Head of the Curatorial Department at KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin. Until 2025, she was co-curator at Portikus, Frankfurt, where she presented solo exhibitions by Simone Fattal, Lap-See Lam, Tarik Kiswanson, Adrian Piper, Asad Raza, and Philippe Thomas, among others, as well as group exhibitions featuring works by Thomas Bayrle, Ayşe Erkmen, Sky Hopinka, Derek Jarman, Sarah Maldoror, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Laurie Parsons, Maryam Tafakory, and Cecilia Vicuña. Her practice spans curatorial work, art historical research, writing on
contemporary art, editorial work, and teaching.

Sabine Schiffer is the founder of SCHIFFER ART CONSULTING and operates at the intersection of the international art market and curatorial practice. As an art dealer across both primary and secondary markets with over 15 years of experience, she advises private and institutional collections on strategic development and acquisitions and has served as consultant and curator for the European Central Bank’s art collection. She previously worked as a long-time gallery director, collaborating closely with internationally renowned artists and contributing to major institutional contexts including the Venice Biennale. She is also German VIP Ambassador for Frieze, following her previous role with Art Brussels.