Jutta-Cuny-Franz-Award

Every two years, the Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award is granted to artists who make significant use of glass in their work.

Jutta-Cuny-Franz-Award
Jutta Cuny, September 1982, Photo: Ruth-Maria Franz
Jutta Cuny, September 1982, Photo: Ruth-Maria Franz

Information


The Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation supports artists who show outstanding talent and make significant use of glass in their work. The foundation’s main instrument is the award of prizes every two years. The Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award is endowed with 10,000 Euro. Additionally, two talent prizes are awarded, each with an endowment of 1,500 Euro. The award winners should not be older than 40 years. Their works will be published in the journal “New Glass”.

Jury
Petra Oelschlägel, former Museum Director, Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders, Bergisch Gladbach
Elisabeth Scheuba, attorney at law, Vienna
Ulli Seegers, professor, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Thomas Virnich, artist and professor, Braunschweig University of Art (HBK)
Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk, head of the glass collection, Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf

Contact
Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation
Kunstpalast
Ehrenhof 4–5
40479 Düsseldorf
Germany
cuny@kunstpalast.de

Zac Weinberg, “Peacemakers,” 2024, photo: Zac Weinberg
Zac Weinberg, “Peacemakers,” 2024, photo: Zac Weinberg

Award Winners 2025


This year, we received 162 entries from 33 countries. We thank all the participants for their applications!
 
The jury of the Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation convened on 9 January 2025 and unanimously decided to award the following prizes.
 

Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award 2025, endowed with 10,000 €

 
Zac Weinberg
Lives and works in Sunderland, United Kingdom
zacweinberg.com / @zacweinberg
 

Talent Awards of the Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation,each endowed with 1,500 €

 
Elia Bloch
Lebt und arbeitet in Jerusalem, Israel
@elia_bloch

Daichi Fuwa
Lebt und arbeitet in Amsterdam, Niederlande
daichifuwa.com / @_daichi_fuwa_
 
 

Honorary Diplomas of the Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation

 
Emma Baker
Lives and works in South East England, United Kingdom
emmabakerglass.com / @_emmbaker
 
Eka (Eunkyoung) Cho
Lives and works in Siegburg, Germany
eunkyoungcho.com / @cho.fficial
 
Felicitas Fäßler
Lives and works in Leipzig, Germany
felicitasfaessler.de / @felicitas_faessler
 
Narrae Kang
Lives and works in Seoul, Republic of Korea
narraekang.com / @narrae.k.typical
 
Sanne Vaassen
Lives and works in Maastricht, The Netherlands
sannevaassen.com / @sannevaassen

History

The Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award was founded by Ruth-Maria Franz (1910–2008) to keep the memory of her daughter and artist Jutta Cuny (1940–1983).
Jutta Cuny was one of the most distinguished protagonists of European glass sculpture from the mid-1970s to her early tragic, accidental death. Shaped by sand-blasting from solid glass blocks, her sculptures opened new paths into glass art. Her cubic, polished blocks gained shape through their complex, matted interior. Jutta Cuny found transparent glass to be her favoured material, which she contrasted with others, such as bronze, or porcelain.
Through a number of generous gifts and the bequest of Ruth-Maria Franz, the Glasmuseum Hentrich today owns the artistic legacy of Jutta Cuny, including five major and a number of smaller works of art. It is thus the largest collection of her work in a public institution.
Ruth-Maria Franz established the Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation in Vienna in 1984. By her request, the seat of the foundation was transferred in 1994 to the city of Dusseldorf. The foundation’s tasks are being managed by the Glasmuseum Hentrich, Kunstpalast.

Award Winners, 1987-2023