SOKOL Award Ceremony 2023
Presentation of the SOKOL Awards 2023
In the course of a festive gala, the Karikaturmuseum Krems, together with the province of Lower Austria and patron Annemarie Sokol, widow and executor of Erich Sokol's estate, awarded the SOKOL Prizes 2023 on Friday, 10 March 2023 at the Kunstmeile Krems. Gerald Scarfe (SOKOL Lifetime Achievement Award, € 11,000), Florian Satzinger (SOKOL Main Award for Digital Caricature, € 11,000), Liz Montague (SOKOL Sponsorship Award, € 4,000), Ghita Ait Bensalah and EtchingRoom1 (AIR - ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Lower Austria scholarships, € 2,600 each) were awarded prizes.
State Councillor Martin Eichtinger, representing Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Heinz Fischer, former Federal President, Jutta M. Pichler, curator, Gottfried Gusenbauer, Director of the Karikaturmuseum Krems, Sebastian Krüger, SOKOL Achievement Award 2018 winner, and the 2023 winners spoke on stage. Actress Jane Asher attended on behalf of her husband Gerald Scarfe, who was ill. Winner Liz Montague sent a video message from America. The evening was hosted by journalist Mari Lang, who stood in for Manuel Rubey due to illness. The Strottern provided musical entertainment.
In attendance were the mayor of Krems Reinhard Resch, star chef Toni Mörwald, Stefan Jauk, CEO of Niederösterreichische Versicherung, Walter Rothensteiner, former CEO of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich, art collectors Meisi and Helmut Grill, Thomas Seywald, executor of Paul Flora's estate, Cornélia Schmidmayr, managing director of ArtEast Gallery Berlin Kyiv, numerous artists such as Bruno Haberzettl, toxische Pommes, Thomas Wizany, Margit Krammer, Michael Pammesberger and Gernot Budweiser, Gerda Ridler, Artistic Director of the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich, Armin Laussegger, Head of the Department of State Collections of Lower Austria, Hermann Dikowitsch, Head of the Department of Art and Culture of the Province of Lower Austria, Paul Gessl and Albrecht Grossberger, Managing Directors of NÖ Kulturwirtschaft and Julia Flunger-Schulz, Managing Director of Kunstmeile Krems. Afterwards, the SOKOL winners were toasted in the Poldi Fitzka restaurant. The highlight was the signature cocktail "The Sokol".
With the SOKOL Awards we honour outstanding artistic achievements on an international level. The name of Gerald Scarfe speaks for itself. The designs of Florian Satzinger from Graz are in demand by major studios around the world. Liz Montague from the US is a strong female and original voice in cartoons. With Ghita Ait Bensalah and the artists of EtchingRoom1, we honour exciting positions from Morocco and the Ukraine.