Artists of the Year

Deutsche Bank initiated the Artist of the Year program a decade ago, awarding three artists at the same time: Maxwell Alexandre, Conny Maier, and Zhang Xu Zhan. They all came to contemporary art via unusual paths, bringing specific life experiences and cultural influences. Alexandre's work revolves around community and violence, Maier's around representation and materialism, and Xu Zhan's around nature spirits and demons.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 20 May 2022
Publisher: Kerber Verlag

Deutsche Bank launched its Artist of the Year program about a decade ago, and to commemorate its 10th anniversary, it is awarding three artists for the first time: Maxwell Alexandre, Conny Maier, and Zhang Xu Zhan. What these three artists have in common is that they each arrived at contemporary art through unique paths, bringing with them diverse life experiences and cultural influences.

Maxwell Alexandre was born in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro's largest favela, where he still resides today. His paintings and installations, inspired by his African heritage, revolve around themes of community, violence, hip-hop, and spirituality. Alexandre's art reflects the realities of life in the favela, where he has witnessed firsthand the struggles and hardships faced by its residents.

Conny Maier is a Berlin-based artist who also works in Portugal. She is considered one of the most significant discoveries in the current German painting scene. Maier's art reflects a world shaped by representation and materialism, where individuals often feel lost and powerless. Her paintings and installations explore the complexities of human relationships and the pressures of contemporary society.

Zhang Xu Zhan, born in 1988, comes from a family that has been making and trading traditional paper figurines for over a century. His stop-motion films, staged in immersive installations, transport viewers into the realm of nature spirits and demons. Xu Zhan's art is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and folklore, and he uses his work to explore the boundaries between reality and imagination.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Artist of the Year program, Deutsche Bank has commissioned translations of the texts about the work of Maxwell Alexandre, Conny Maier, and Zhang Xu Zhan into Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Chinese, respectively. These translations provide a deeper understanding of the artists' backgrounds and artistic influences, allowing a broader audience to appreciate their remarkable contributions to contemporary art.

In conclusion, Deutsche Bank's Artist of the Year program has recognized three exceptional artists who have each arrived at contemporary art through unique paths. Maxwell Alexandre, Conny Maier, and Zhang Xu Zhan bring with them diverse life experiences and cultural influences, which are reflected in their powerful and thought-provoking artwork. Through the commissioning of translations, Deutsche Bank has made these artists' work accessible to a broader audience, allowing us to appreciate their contributions to contemporary art on a global scale.

Weight: 1g
Dimension: 285 x 238 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783735608284