Organizer Information
In 1995, Federico Jorge Klemm gave statute to the Fundación Federico Jorge Klemm, a space intended to give the works in his collection clear public visibility, with free and open access to the community, alongside a temporary exhibition program dedicated to sharing this heritage and promoting young artists. Klemm — born Bedřich/Friedrich Klemm in Liberec in 1942 and based in Buenos Aires from childhood — was a Czech-Argentine artist, collector, art critic, patron, and businessman, widely known as a television host and cultural commentator, who assembled a unique art collection in Latin America and was a pioneer in the management of art foundations in Argentina. He is remembered as a pop icon of 1990s Argentine culture and a precursor of queer culture in the country.
In 1997, Klemm added the Premio Klemm a las Artes Visuales to the foundation, an annual open call to support young local artists, which became the principal way the collection continued to grow, through the works acquired via its first and second acquisition prizes. The foundation's permanent collection today holds more than 760 works spanning painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, multiple graphic prints, objects, installations, video art, and audiovisual pieces, including pieces by Picasso, Dalí, Koons, De Chirico, Magritte, Lichtenstein, Man Ray, and Basquiat, among others. Following Klemm's death in 2002, the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes was named the foundation's legal administrator under the terms of his will.
Title & Description
29º Premio Klemm 2026 (29th Klemm Prize 2026)
The Fundación Federico Jorge Klemm is launching the 29th edition of the Premio Klemm for 2026. Participation is governed by official Terms and Conditions, which are considered known and accepted by the mere act of applying. The prize aims to foster the expression and artistic practice of local artists, with winning works entering the Fundación's permanent collection.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Drawing
- Photography
- Video/Film
- Installation
- Multiple Disciplines
Eligibility
- Open to artists of Argentine nationality, aged 18 or older
- This includes artists who are native-born, naturalized, or foreign residents who have lived in the country for more than two years
- Each applicant may submit a maximum of one (1) work
- The submitted work must be authored by the applicant and dated after 2021
- The work need not be previously unpublished/unexhibited, but it must not have been submitted to another similar competition previously or simultaneously
- Contemporary artworks are accepted across all visual arts disciplines — painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, real and virtual objects in various formats, photography, new-technology–processed works, digital art, robotics, video art, experimental film, video installations, installations, interventions, etc. — provided that, at Klemm's discretion, the work is stable and durable (able to be exhibited continuously without maintenance, without perishable materials, toxic substances, or hazardous/polluting materials, and without significant transformation over time), is not ephemeral in nature, presents no risk to public physical safety, and satisfies the remaining requirements of the Terms and Conditions
- Two-dimensional works may not exceed 230 cm × 250 cm; three-dimensional works (objects or installations) may not exceed 230 cm × 280 cm × 200 cm (height × width × depth), with these maximums applying only to modular/adaptable pieces or installations, to ensure the work can physically enter and move through the Fundación
- Works requiring ceiling suspension must not exceed 30 kg per attachment point, ideally distributed across more than one point; floor-supported pieces should avoid sharp elements and use an intermediary base or material rather than direct contact
- Works considered by Klemm to be subject to multiple reproduction or printing (e.g. audiovisual works, video, photography, prints, digitally-fixed works) may only be submitted if unpublished, or as first or second numbered editions not exceeding six (6) total copies and/or Artist's Proofs
Program Benefits & Awards
- First Acquisition Prize: ARS $7,000,000 (seven million Argentine pesos)
- Second Acquisition Prize: ARS $4,000,000 (four million Argentine pesos)
- Two Non-Acquisition Mentions: ARS $1,500,000 each (one million five hundred thousand Argentine pesos)
- The Acquisition Prize amounts are paid to the winning artists as full and total consideration for the complete acquisition of the prize-winning works, which become part of KLEMM's Permanent Collection — this is a full purchase of the work, not a stipend or partial payment
- Prize amounts are stated to be total and final
- Winners with an Acquisition Prize must complete all legal and tax procedures necessary to transfer ownership of the work to the Fundación
- No participant may receive a prize equal to or lower than one they received in a previous edition of the Premio
- For works requiring electronic devices (media players, Raspberry Pi, etc.), image or sound players, non-conventional materials, or renewable components for installation, setup, exhibition, or operation, the artist is responsible for providing those devices/materials themselves — this is a cost to the artist, not covered by KLEMM
- KLEMM takes precautions for the conservation of exhibited works, including insurance for each piece (including any required electronic equipment as part of the work), but is not responsible for eventual damage — partial or total — destruction, or theft of technological devices, nor for damages or harm suffered by an applicant or third parties in connection with participation in the prize
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 4 September 2026
Location
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Additional Details
- The 2026 Selection and Awards Jury is composed of: Carla Barbero, Guadalupe Chirotarrab, Leandro Martínez Depietri, Carlos Huffmann, and Pablo La Padula
- The Jury's decisions on both exhibition selection and prize awarding are made by simple majority vote and are final and non-appealable
- Selected artists (whose work will be included in the exhibition) will be notified by email to the address provided on their application
- Selected artists must have their work located within Argentina, prepared in optimal condition for exhibition, and packaged for pickup by transport arranged by KLEMM; all works are collected from the Fundación's ground floor
- For artists based in the AMBA (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area), KLEMM's transporter will collect the work on a date communicated in advance by email, as part of a coordinated pickup route; the artist commits to delivering the packaged work and signing a temporary custody receipt for the duration of the exhibition and awards process
- For artists based outside the AMBA, transport payment (covered by KLEMM) will be arranged individually with each artist, with the same temporary custody receipt requirement
- By applying, participants authorize KLEMM to reproduce, publish, and disseminate images of the submitted works, along with the artist's name, image, and authorized biographical details, in print and digital media, free of charge, for an indefinite period, for the cultural and educational promotion of the prize
- Applicants must guarantee they hold all rights and permissions necessary to apply for and participate in the prize, and are solely responsible for any third-party claims relating to originality, resemblance, partial copies, intellectual property, image rights, or contractual rights connected to their work
- Prize-winning artists may be called upon to take part in public activities and/or promotional activities related to their winning works
- KLEMM reserves the right to resolve any matter not covered in the Terms and Conditions, including suspending, postponing, modifying, or cancelling the prize for reasons of force majeure