Metzingen/ New York , November 14, 2008 : The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Hugo Boss announced last night that the Palestinian artist Emily Jacir has been named the recipient of the Hugo Boss Prize 2008 . The continuity and success of Hugo Boss' support for the arts is reflected in the Hugo Boss Prize, which has now been an art world institution for 12 years.

Administered by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the award was established in 1996 to recognize significant achievement in contemporary art. Emily Jacir, who will receive a stipend of USD 100,000, was selected by an international jury of museum curators and directors. A solo exhibition featuring the artist's work will be on view at the Guggenheim Museum from February 6 through April 15, 2009.

“When it was established in 1996, I don't think anyone was prescient enough to foresee what an invaluable gift the Hugo Boss Prize would become,” said Thomas Krens, Senior Advisor for International Affairs, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. “It gives the Guggenheim the opportunity to identify extraordinary contemporary artists. But it also does much more. The equally enduring gift of the Hugo Boss Prize is that it brings global attention and honor to artists such as Emily Jacir – artists whose work demands that we look at life through an entirely new lens. We are enormously proud of our alliance with HUGO BOSS, and enormously appreciative of the support from HUGO BOSS that makes this prize possible.”

“The Hugo Boss Prize is now being presented for the seventh time. Today the award ranks among the most significant accolades in the field of contemporary art – a fact which fills us with great pride,” says Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, CEO and Chairman of Hugo Boss Prize AG. “We would like to extend our congratulations to the winner, Emily Jacir, and our thanks to the jury for its outstanding work.” In addition to Emily Jacir, the artists short-listed by the jury were Christoph Büchel ( Switzerland ), Patty Chang (USA), Sam Durant ( USA ), Joachim Koester
(Denmark ) and Roman Signer (Switzerland).

Since its inception, the Hugo Boss Prize has been awarded to the American artist Matthew Barney (1996), Scottish artist Douglas Gordon (1998), Marjetica Potrc from Slovenia (2000), the French artist Pierre Huyghe (2002), Rirkrit Tiravanija from Thailand (2004) and Tacita Dean from United Kingdom (2006).

Further information on the Hugo Boss Prize and on the artists can be found on the
website www.hugoboss-prize.com.