Helge Schneider receives NRW Art Prize
The entertainer Helge Schneider has been awarded the Art Prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. As a writer, film and theater director, actor and jazz musician, the 68-year-old is "a legendary multi-talent", said Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) in his laudatory speech at the K21 art museum in Düsseldorf on Monday evening.
Schneider stands like no other for the courage to dare to try new things and explore boundaries. "You yourself are a total work of art." The 25,000 euro award was presented by Wüst and NRW Minister of Culture Ina Brandes (CDU). Five sponsorship prizes were also awarded.
In a recorded video about Schneider's many years of artistic work, the Mülheim native explained: "Well, I just let my imagination work. And I improvise." The spark for artistic stage performances was ignited in him very early on: "I saw a photo of a clown when I was four years old. It was clear to me then that I would do something like that." When he saw the circus audience in the background, he thought: "That's exactly what I want to do. That's how I want to work."
The expectation of his audience is that he will keep going, said Schneider. And he himself is not toying with the idea of drawing a line under it. "Because I love doing it so much and actually always, always prefer it. Times change - I don't."
The self-disclosure on Schneider's website reads: "Still have to work, despite pension entitlements," joked Wüst. It is fortunate that the cabaret artist continues to inspire and make people laugh with his music, his lyrics and his humor.
Art can also be nonsensical and playful, emphasized the head of government. "The fundamental right of artistic freedom is not a right of mercy that can be granted or denied. It is an important treasure of a free society that must always be secured anew." Politics should therefore not decide on the content of art or access to art.
Schneider is the third winner of the NRW Art Prize. The award is presented to artists or artist collectives with close ties to the state of NRW. The first winner in 2021 was the visual artist Mary Bauermeister. In 2022, stage designer and director Johannes Schütz was honored.
Helge Schneider's artistic achievements in various fields, such as writing, directing, acting, and music, have earned him numerous accolades, including the Art Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. This recognition further solidifies his status as a celebrated and multi-talented artist in the realm of German arts and culture.
The 25,000 euro NRW Art Prize, gifted to Schneider, serves as a testament to the power of art to challenge boundaries and push the envelope in its pursuit of creative expression, a theme that resonates deeply with Schneider's own artistic journey.
Source: www.dpa.com
