Aeschlimann Corti Scholarship 1998

This year, 113 artists from Bern applied for the 1998 Louise Aeschlimann and Margareta Corti Scholarship. Following the first round, the jury invited 41 applicants to submit three works or groups of works each. These were evaluated on April 17 and 18 at the Kunstmuseum Thun. The jury, consisting of Esther van der Bie (Chair), Urs Staub, Lilo Wirth, Philipp Gasser, and Franziska Räz, had a total of 50,000 Swiss francs to award. It decided to award two grand prizes (15,000 Swiss francs) and four encouragement prizes (5,000 Swiss francs). The winners of the main prizes are: Pascal Danz (37, Zurich) and Ruedi Steiner (34, Roggwil). The recipients of the encouragement prizes are: Christian Denzler (32, Gümligen), Martin Guldimann (38, Bern), Yolande Schneiter (30, Burgdorf), and Thomas Stalder (38, Zurich). At a press conference yesterday, jury president Esther van der Bie emphasized that this year, for the first time, the judging process was conducted in two rounds. Thus, applicants initially had to submit only portfolios and documentation. The jury then selected 41 artists to advance to the second round. Their works were initially considered for the scholarship. However, 18 artists were also able to participate in the exhibition in Thun.