Art Paris Highlights Women in Contemporary Art
Leah Ermann
Art Paris 2026 and the Her Art Prize: A Platform for Women Artists
Art Paris has unveiled the 12 nominees for the Her Art Prize 2026. In doing so, it reaffirms the fair’s commitment to supporting women artists on the international stage. Launched in 2025, the Her Art Prize has quickly established itself as a leading contemporary art prize. It recognises both a strong artistic career and a powerful body of work. To achieve this, Art Paris created the prize in partnership with Marie Claire and Maison Boucheron. This year, the organisers will award the prize during Art Paris 2026 on Saturday, April 11, at the Grand Palais in Paris. At the heart of this initiative, lies a clear ambition. The aim is to celebrate women artists whose practices challenge conventions and reshape contemporary narratives.
A Global and Generational Selection of Nominees
Beyond geography, the 12 nominees for the Her Art Prize 2026 reflect a highly international and generational selection. Artists come from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. This highlights the global reach of Art Paris and its participating galleries. The finalists also span a wide age range, from 32 to 79 years old. Therefore, this creates a dialogue between emerging voices and established figures. Selected by Marion Vignal, art consultant and curator for Marie Claire, in collaboration with Guillaume Piens, General Curator of Art Paris, this group brings together diverse perspectives. These perspectives are shaped by different cultural and historical contexts.
Ecology, Identity, and Memory at the Core of the Nominees’ Practices
Together, these practices explore themes that strongly resonate with today’s global concerns. Several nominees engage with ecology and the natural world, responding to environmental fragility and humanity’s relationship with living systems. At the same time, others focus on identity and self representation, questioning how personal and collective identities take shape across cultures. In addition, many works draw on ancestral memory and gesture. They do this by using material, movement, and tradition as carriers of meaning. Through these approaches, the artists connect the personal to the political. They offer new ways to reflect on history, belonging, and the world we share.
Key Voices Shaping the Her Art Prize 2026 Selection
The selection brings together artists whose practices span continents and mediums. Among the nominees, Otobong Nkanga, represented by In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc and Lumen Travo, explores material histories and ecological systems rooted in lived experience. At the same time, Everard Read presents Mary Sibande, who uses sculpture and photography to powerfully address identity and inherited narratives. From a different generation, Janet Laurence, represented by Cassandra Bird Gallery, meanwhile engages with environmental fragility through immersive installations. Alongside them, artists such as Shilpa Gupta (Galleria Continua) and Nazanin Pouyandeh (Templon) further expand the scope of the selection. From this selection, one artist will be awarded the Her Art Prize 2026.
Jury, Award, and Recognition
More than a prize, the Her Art Prize represents a major platform for visibility and recognition. A prestigious jury, chaired by actress and illustrator Louise Bourgoin, will select one winner for them 12 nominees. The winner will receive a €30,000 grant, presented by Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO of Maison Boucheron. In addition, the award includes an international communications campaign led by Marie Claire and Art Paris, extending the artist’s reach in France and beyond.
Why the Her Art Prize Matters Today
At a moment when questions of representation and visibility remain central to the art world, the Her Art Prize plays a vital role. By offering recognition, resources, and sustained exposure, the prize supports women artists beyond a single exhibition or moment. It helps build long term careers while reshaping how contemporary art narratives are written. As Art Paris 2026 approaches, the Her Art Prize stands as a clear signal of the fair’s commitment to lasting change.
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Leah Ermann is a South African Fashion Business student whose identity and vision are deeply rooted in the landscapes, cultures, and contradictions of her home country. Growing up in South Africa meant being constantly aware of extremes. These realities shaped her sensitivity to the world around her and challenged her understanding of fashion as something far beyond surface-level beauty. In a place where many people are fortunate simply to own a pair of shoes, Leah learned early on that clothing carries meaning, privilege, and responsibility.
Alongside this awareness grew a profound connection to nature and conservation, spending a lot of time in the bush deepened her understanding of the impact humans have on endangered wildlife and fragile ecosystems. Leah sees fashion as a silent but powerful language, a way to express identity, values, and cultural stories without words.
She is driven by a desire to explore the deeper meanings behind collections, to learn from new cultures, and to use fashion as a platform to amplify South African creativity, resilience, and humanity. Ultimately, her goal is to create work that not only reflects where she comes from whilst learning about other cultures, but also contributes to change, honoring both people and the natural world that shaped her.
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