Four protagonists – young professionals from the world of culture: art historians, art critics, museum directors – have each selected a pair of artists whose names are entered in the prize (for artists whose career began less than 10 years ago) and for the prix d’honneur (for artists whose career began between 10 and 20 years ago).

© Émile Ouroumov

© MCC – Didier Plowy

© MCC – Didier Plowy

The protagonists for the 2017 prize are Sébastien Faucon, Camille Paulhan, Thomas Schlesser and Annabelle Ténèze. They have presented and defended the work of the shortlisted artists before a panel made up of eight leading figures in the world of culture – directors of cultural establishments, heritage conservation officers, collectors, art critics, university professors and artists, both French and foreign. The panel is composed of Alfred Pacquement (honorary general heritage conservation officer, former director of the musée d’art national moderne – Centre Pompidou), president of the panel, Katia Baudin (art historian, director of the Krefeld museums), Esther Ferrer (artist), Camille Morineau (heritage conservation officer, exhibition curator, co-founder and president of AWARE), Frances Morris (director of Tate Modern, London), Myriam Salomon (collector, member of the management and editing committee of art press), Dirk Snauwaert (director-founder of WIELS, Brussels) and Jonas Storsve (curator of the graphic art cabinet at the musée d’art national moderne – Centre Pompidou). The prize winners will each receive 10,000 euros thanks to the exceptional patronage offered by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.