Steve McQueen

Rolf Schock's prize in the visual arts 2024 assigned Steve McQueen

In a world characterized by violence, fanaticism and greed, Steve McQueen's artistry is a shining compass in the darkness. With exceptional consistency, sharpness and precision, he activates the viewer's position before the artwork, while insisting on the ability of the moving image to give body, voice and presence to those relegated to the margins. The "realism" at issue here is as much an exposure of privilege, power and oppression as a heartfelt conveyance of moments of quiet happiness and euphoria; a perpetuation of the ethically human.

Steve McQueen is a British artist, film director and screenwriter. McQueen represented Great Britain at the Venice Biennale in 2009 and his work has been shown at Tate Modern, Tate Britain in London and MOMA, The Whitney Museum in New York, among others. McQueen has several degrees within the British Empire Order, (KBE, CBE, OBE) and has previously been awarded the Turner Prize, among other things.

McQueen has directed films such as Hunger (2008) shame (2011) as well 12 Years a Slave (2013). In 2008, McQueen won the Caméra d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival for the film Hunger and in 2014 he received both an Oscar in the Best Film category and a Golden Globe Award for 12 Years a Slave. In 2021, McQueen was awarded the European Film Award for Innovative Storytelling for the film Small Axe.