The prestigious Goethe-Institut has proudly unveiled Kitso Lynn Lelliott as the recipient of the esteemed 2024 Henrike Grohs Art Award.
The biennial accolade was established in memory of the late Henrike Grohs, former Head of Goethe-Institut in Abidjan, by the Goethe-Institut and the Grohs family.
After a meticulous selection process, which saw 21 artists shortlisted from a staggering 690 applications spanning 40 African countries, the jury—comprising Marie Helene Pereira, senior curator at Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Germany; Meriem Berrada, artistic director at MACAAL in Marrakech, Morocco; and also Tandazani Dhlakama, curator at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town, South Africa—has announced Kitso Lynn Lelliott as the winner of the 2024 Henrike Grohs Art Award.
Lelliott’s work captivated the jury with a profound articulation of disobedience and disruption, challenging traditional colonial references and embodying a perpetual state of becoming—an ongoing artistic journey.
Johannes Ebert, Secretary General of the Goethe-Institut, expressed his heartfelt congratulations to Lelliott and also acknowledged the record-breaking number of applications received for this edition of the award. He emphasized the prize’s commitment to promoting international cultural exchange and supporting exceptional artistic talent across the African continent.
Lelliott, a versatile artist from Botswana, evidently explores themes of epistemic power and challenges hegemonic narratives through her work, which spans video installation, film, and writing. Her practice delves into contesting epistemologies and the crisis they pose to hegemony, privileging South-South relations and historically subjugated subjectivities.
The judges announced Kenyan artist Wambui Kamiru Collymore and Ghanaian artist Frederick Ebenezer Okai as the runners-up of the 2024 Henrike Grohs Art Award. Both artists will also receive a cash prize of 5,000€ each, alongside Lelliott’s substantial award of 20,000€, with an additional 10,000€ allocated towards the production of a publication on their work.
The jury further commended all three artists for their dedication to re-anchoring knowledge beyond conventional academic spheres and their adept ability to navigate diverse influences, marking a significant contribution to the contemporary art landscape.
