Loth Sculpture Prize, sponsored by L-Bank, goes to steel sculptor Robert Schad and Galerie Schlichtenmaier
Three art prizes awarded at art karlsruhe 2026
For the eighth time, the Loth Sculpture Prize was awarded at art karlsruhe this year – sponsored by L-Bank. The prize, worth €20,000, was awarded in equal parts to Ravensburger-born steel sculptor Robert Schad and the Schlichtenmaier Gallery, which represents him. The prize was presented in a festive setting on Friday evening at the fair, with Kay Kromeier from the Schlichtenmaier Gallery accepting the award. In his laudatory speech, jury spokesman Alexander Heil, estate administrator and nephew of Wilhelm Loth, justified the choice as follows: “In his Karlsruhe compilation, the artist has once again succeeded in imaginatively combining the movement diagrams of ‘heavy lightness’ of six very different sculptures into a coherent composition in an interacting ensemble. The jury awarded Robert Schad the prize for 2026 by a majority vote, not least in view of his life's work.”
On the first days of the fair, three awards were presented at art karlsruhe 2026, clearly demonstrating how artistic quality is perceived and appreciated today. The art karlsruhe prize for the best one:artist show at the fair went to Shanee Roe and the KORNFELD Gallery. The LBBW academy:square award, which recognizes the most compelling academy:square position, was presented for the first time in 2026 and went to Felix Wagner, a graduate of the State Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe.
From line to space: Robert Schad receives the Loth Sculpture Prize 2026
The Loth Sculpture Prize, donated by L-Bank, highlights a special individual position in the field of sculpture, including the gallery that makes it visible. This year, the prize also draws a connection back to Wilhelm Loth, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, as Robert Schad studied under him at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe between 1974 and 1980. The line is the most important element of Robert Schad's artworks, which he once described as “ciphers of his own physical state of mind.” Accordingly, his drawings do not serve as preparation for a sculpture, but are independent works of art that interact with space in the same way as his filigree steel works, which are nevertheless spatial lines and span an energetically charged space. The fragile structures made of rusted Corten steel have a great haptic quality. They defy gravity in space and invite us to examine the laws of nature. They contain a dance-like element that defines the effect of the artworks. Despite the heaviness of the material, they appear light, almost weightless, in their height or width.
Shanee Roe and KORNFELD Gallery receive art karlsruhe prize
The art karlsruhe Prize 2026 goes to artist Shanee Roe, represented by the KORNFELD Gallery in Berlin. The award, worth €15,000, is presented jointly by the City of Karlsruhe and the State of Baden-Württemberg and includes the purchase of a work for the art karlsruhe Collection of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe.
Gallery owner Freddy Kornfeld accepted the award during the opening of art karlsruhe. Jury spokesperson Stefanie Patruno, director of the Kunstmuseum Karlsruhe, praised the artist: “Shanee Roe is one of the distinctive voices in painting that understands the human body as a space for emotional and psychological experience. It was precisely this visual world, with its raw tone and exclusive focus on the emotional intensity of the present moment, that particularly impressed us as a jury.”
LBBW academy:square award presented for the first time
Since 2024, selected artists from Baden-Württemberg's art colleges have been presenting their work at academy:square – alongside established artists, art karlsruhe also focuses on young talent. The LBBW academy:square award, sponsored by the bank, was presented for the first time in this context. The award was presented on Wednesday by Sarah Haberkorn, Head of the LBBW Collection, and Kristian Jarmuschek, Chairman of the Advisory Board of art karlsruhe. Felix Wagner, who has been studying in Prof. Ackermann's class at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe since 2018, can look forward to a purchase for the renowned LBBW collection. “Felix Wagner combines his own childhood memories with collective memory. His work ‘broken use’ shows various facets of human existence, including raw violence,” said the jury, as presented by Kristian Jarmuschek at the award ceremony. Stefanie Münz, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of LBBW, described academy:square as a “wonderful opportunity for young artists to showcase their work,” underscoring the relevance of the new platform as a springboard for artistic careers.
Further information: art-karlsruhe.en, facebook.com/artkarlsruhe, instagram.com/art_karlsruhe, art-karlsruhe.de/linkedin
