Gabriele Stötzer awarded Kaiserring art prize in Goslar

Artist Gabriele Stötzer has been awarded the Kaiserring in Goslar, a prestigious international art prize. Stötzer, an Erfurt-based writer and artist, is the first artist from the former East Germany to receive this distinction, marking a significant moment 36 years after German reunification.

Stötzer is recognized as a pioneer of the GDR underground art scene, having used her work to challenge power structures and the Stasi. Her multidisciplinary practice includes photography, Super-8 film, performance, textiles, and ceramics, often utilizing her own body as a medium.

During the award ceremony at the Kaiserpfalz, Mayor Urte Schwerdtner described Stötzer’s work as an expression of freedom, self-determination, and social responsibility. Laudator Dr. Florence Thurmes highlighted her role as a non-conformist and activist, noting her influence on younger generations of artists through her experimental and collaborative approach.