Acclaimed American visual artist Mark Bradford has won the 2024 Getty Prize along with a $500,000 donation grant that the laureate can contribute to one chosen non-profit organization. Bradford's pick for the donation recipient has not been announced as of yet.
The award was formerly known as the "Getty Medal" and was established in 2013, recognizing the leading individuals in particular cultural fields that contribute to the expansion of the understanding and appreciation for arts and culture. Starting this year, the J. Paul Getty Trust, the institution behind the grant, will only be choosing one individual for the annual prize.
Katherine E. Fleming, the current president and CEO of the institution, said in a statement: "Mark Bradford is an exceptional artist whose thought-provoking work often sheds light on societal issues and has captivated audiences in his hometown of Los Angeles and well beyond."
What is Mark Bradford Known For?
Based in Los Angeles, Mark Bradford claimed notoriety for his large-scale abstract paintings that are complex in both their layered process and conceptual meaning, depicting the artist's exploration of socio-political issues concerning marginalized communities. Besides painting, Bradford utilizes various other mediums like sculpture, video, photography, and printmaking.
The artist also organizes educational workshops and social projects intended to empower individuals belonging to vulnerable and minority groups by exposing them to the contemporary concepts of art. Precisely for this purpose, Bradford has co-founded a non-profit in LA called "Art + Practice," usually tackling issues that are connected to out-of-home care, education, and especially the arts.
As for his background, Bradford finished his education at the California Institute of the Arts in 1995 for his Bachelor's in Fine Arts, and in 1997 for his Master's in the same discipline.
Before being announced as this year's Getty Prize laureate, the artist has also been recognized internationally for his global exhibitions at the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Portugal and at the Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai, among others.
