Inaugural Her Art Prize at Art Paris 2025
The new Her Art Prize, established by Marie Claire France in partnership with Art Paris and luxury jeweller Boucheron, has announced Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova as its first winner. Represented by Continua Gallery, Kadyrova is celebrated for her multidisciplinary work, including sculpture, photography, video, and performance art.
Zhanna Kadyrova took part in the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013, participated again in the Ukrainian Pavilion during the 56th edition in 2015; in 2019 Zhanna Kadyrova featured in the central international exhibition, May You Live in Interesting Times – her works included Market, a food stall installation with mosaic produce, and Second Hand, garments crafted from repurposed ceramic tiles. And in 2022, Kadyrova presented Palianytsia, an installation of stone-carved loaves of bread, as a pop-up exhibition by Galleria Continua in Venice.
She was a co-curator of the exhibition Swimming Wasn’t Allowed in the Plant’s Aquatorium at the M17 Contemporary Art Center (Kyiv, Ukraine) in 2021. And currently her artwork Diamond is featured at the Beyond the Shadow exhibition at M17 CAC (Kyiv, Ukraine) until early July 2025.
As the recipient of the Her Art Prize, Kadyrova will receive €30,000 from Boucheron, an international showcase campaign, and a bespoke trophy crafted from rock crystal, symbolising the jeweller's heritage. This accolade follows her recent achievement of the Shevchenko National Prize, where she became the first woman in twenty years to earn this distinction.
This new international prize, launched this year, rewards both a bold body of work that pushes back the limits and the career of a committed woman artist chosen from among a shortlist of 12 artists exhibiting at Art Paris. The winner was announced at Art Paris, placing the spotlight on the awarded female artist in front of a prestigious international art audience.
Kadyrova’s series Refugees (2023), presented at Art Paris by Continua as part of the “Out of Bounds” themed focus by guest curator Simon Lamunière, documents the interior of public buildings that have been disfigured by bombs. Devoid of people and any tangible elements, only plant pots remain to remind the viewer of how life once was.
The Her Art Prize aims to honour female artists who engage with contemporary themes related to society and womanhood. The jury, chaired by actress Élodie Bouchez, included notable figures such as Cécile Debray, President of the Musée National Picasso Paris, and fashion designer Rabih Kayrouz. Their selection underscores Kadyrova's significant impact on the art world and her contribution to contemporary discourse.