Fifth Siegburg Ceramics Prize

The Siegburg Ceramics Prize was awarded for the first time in 2015 as part of a redesign of the Siegburg Ceramics Market. Since then, the competition has been held every two years. In 2021, it was opened up to all professional ceramists, regardless of their participation in the ceramics market. The prize was awarded for the fifth time on February 4, 2024 at the Siegburg City Museum.

Alix Brodeur, Höhr-Grenzhausen, is the winner of the 5th Siegburg Ceramics Prize with her installation Standort.

A jury of experts chose the prize winners and a total of 59 participants for the exhibition from a field of 113 applications from 23 nations. The first prize went to US-born Alix Brodeur from Höhr-Grenzhausen for her expansive installation Standort. Second prize was awarded to Christiane Wilhelm from Munich for her vessel Mother of Pearls. Third prize was conferred on Christa Zeitlhofer from Vienna for an artwork titled deformed circle on ellipsoid with bicycle, 2022. A special prize was awarded to Ulrike Uschmann from Osnabrück. Commendations went to Michela Benedan from Halle, Nathalie Cohn from Copenhagen, Monika Debus from Höhr-Grenzhausen and Maria Pohlkemper from Billerbeck.

The 2nd prize went to Christiane Wilhelm, Munich, for her vessel Mother of Pearls.

Christa Zeitlhofer, Vienna, won the 3rd prize, work title: deformed circle on ellipsoid with bicycle, 2022.

For the first time, the award did not have a specific theme, but was dedicated simply to “current trends in ceramics.” With the international opening of the ceramics market and the associated prize, the Stadtmuseum Siegburg has expanded its collection concept to include contemporary ceramics. The focus is on works by ceramists who have a connection to the town with its long pottery tradition, as well as to the ceramics market, to the prize or to exhibitions in the town museum. The collection has now grown to approximately forty works including the acquisitions from the current exhibition.

The ceramic sculpture Kümmel by Hyunjin Kim was selected for the exhibition at the Stadtmuseum Siegburg.

Siegburg stoneware has been famous throughout Europe in the late Middle Ages and early modern period for its high and consistent quality. On the basis of this great historical tradition, Siegburg is now also tur- ning its attention to contemporary ceramics, which is becoming increasingly important in the city’s cultural program and is now cultivated at an international level.

For this year’s ceramics market (13.–14.7.2024), the city museum is opening an exhibition with works by the French ceramists Laurent Petit and Benoît Pouplard (13.7.–1.9.2024).