The Museum Haus Konstruktiv believes that one of its key tasks is to encourage the creativity of young artists whose interests broadly relate to the themes of the museum. The museum shares this focus with the Zurich Insurance Group, one of the foundation's patrons. Indeed, the Zurich Art Prize, awarded annually since 2007, has emerged from a close cooperation between the Zurich Insurance Group and the museum.
The prize, worth eighty thousand Swiss francs, sponsors an exhibition of the artist's work at the Haus Konstruktiv; it is one of the most generously endowed art prizes in the world. Each year seven distinguished curators are invited to nominate one artist each for the prize and an international jury of art experts selects the winner.
The jury are:
Sabine Schaschl, Director Museum Haus Konstruktiv, chairperson
Lionel Bovier, Publisher JRP Ringier
Yannick Hausmann, Zurich Insurance Group
Sam Keller, Director of Fondation Beyeler
Gianfranco Verna of Annemarie Verna Gallery
Beat Zoderer, artist
The Zurich Art Prize is unique: on the one hand it has evolved from the museum's mission and reflects an important link between the history of Minimalist art and the contemporary art world. On the other, the prize stands for the growing partnership between the Zurich Insurance Group and the Haus Konstruktiv, one that sets a standard for an ambitious modern collaboration between a corporation and a museum.