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Hanns Bahra is to be awarded the MECkERT Art Prize for the first time this year. From 4 to 6 September 2026, Studio Michael Riedel will present his exhibition ‘Anhang im Süden’.

Hanns Bahra, a Leipzig-based artist and graduate of the Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig (HGB), combines illustration, painting and experimental object art in his work to create distinctive compositions. His works navigate the tension between abstract visual worlds and narrative graphics, with layering, textures and creative chance playing a central role. Moving beyond the two-dimensional plane of paper, Bahra expands his art through installations and theatrical objects.

The MECkERT Art Prize will be awarded for the first time in 2026. Endowed by the art-collecting couple Matthias and Kristine Meckert from Frankfurt am Main, it is awarded annually to artists who, following their studies in Prof. Michael Riedel’s class at the HGB Leipzig, have developed an outstanding artistic practice. The prize money of 5,000 euros is intended to strengthen the independence of the visual arts during the formative phase following graduation. The public award ceremony takes place as part of the season opening of Frankfurt’s galleries. The prize is presented in the form of a coin minted by Michael Riedel.