The prestigious 2019 MacArthur “Genius” grants have been awarded to 26 individuals, including artists Mel Chin, Jeffery Gibson, Cameron Rowland, and Sarah Michelson. This year’s selection reflects a rise in the number of artists recognized. Recipients of the esteemed award receive $625,000, distributed over five years without restrictions.
The MacArthur Foundation, known for its annual fellowships, applauds those displaying “extraordinary originality and dedication.” The selection process is notably secretive and by nomination only, with an anonymous jury deciding the winners. Jeffery Gibson, a Brooklyn-based artist featured in the Whitney Biennial, recounted to the Washington Post how he nearly missed the congratulatory call due to a dead phone while traveling in Hudson Valley. “We rushed to the next town, and I charged my phone enough to call them back,” Gibson explained, expressing his surprise at the win.
At 67, Mel Chin is the oldest awardee, celebrated for his interdisciplinary work addressing social, technological, and environmental themes. Seph Rodney of Hyperallergic praised Chin’s ability to remix technology in his art. Meanwhile, Cameron Rowland, the youngest recipient at 30, is renowned for using found objects in a Duchampian style to critique social issues, as seen in his 2019 exhibition D37 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
Notable among the winners is Lynda Barry, a graphic novelist and educator recognized for her work, including the comic strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek” and several graphic novels. Barry is currently an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Choreographer Sarah Michelson also earned a grant for her innovative contributions to contemporary dance, which challenge and redefine classical and modern dance traditions, highlighted by her 2012 performance at the Whitney Museum.
