Choreographer granted dance title, Artist honored for visual work - Dancer Waltz collaborates with artist Elíasson on creative project
Choreographer Sasha Waltz and artist Olafur Eliasson received the Helmut Schmidt Future Prize, a €20,000 award recognizing their dedication to democracy, nature, and a liberal society. This is the first time two co-laureates shared the prize.
Artist Olafur Eliasson, who lives in Berlin and Copenhagen, expressed joy at the honor in a conversation with journalist Uwe Jean Heuser and director Jochen Sandig, Waltz's husband. The conversation touched on the importance of culture in democracy, with Eliasson's remarks often eliciting laughter from the audience. He even performed a dance on stage.
Sandig received the award on behalf of Waltz, who established the Berlin-based contemporary dance ensemble Sasha Waltz & Guests with him in 1993. Waltz, 62, was unable to attend due to illness and was represented by dancer Hwanhee Hwang.
Eliasson's art installations explore natural elements like light, urging people to consider their role in shaping their living conditions. The jury praised Waltz's work, commending her for countering attacks on democracy with empathy and humanity.
The Berlin-based ensemble Sasha Waltz & Guests is considered a significant institution in contemporary dance. The jury's praise of Waltz echoed the sentiment that in her art, she seeks to foster empathy and humanity in response to challenges to democracy.
The prize, inaugurated in 2022, is bestowed annually by "Die Zeit", the Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung, and The New Institute, all based in Hamburg. Past laureates include climate activist Vanessa Nakate (2022), Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate (2022), Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin (2023), and US AI expert Meredith Whittaker (2024). The 2022 laureates' identities may be confirmed by contacting the awarding organization or checking their official website for past winners.
Here are the two sentences that contain the given words:
- Olafur Eliasson's art installations often provoke thought about one's lifestyle, especially those that focus on natural elements like light and water, urging people to consider their role in shaping their living conditions.
- The Berlin-based home and garden, Sasha Waltz & Guests, is a significant institution in contemporary dance, with its artistry seeking to foster empathy and humanity in response to challenges to democracy.
