The Elie Wiesel Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Mark Podwal Prize in Visual Art, celebrating artists whose work powerfully explores Jewish identity, memory, heritage, resilience, and human connection. The winners were selected by a distinguished jury from a wide and diverse pool of submissions and will be honored in an exhibition together with selected works by Mark Podwal opening to the public April 17, 2026, at the Dr. Bernard Heller Museum, Hebrew Union College in New York City.
The prize — established in collaboration with the Podwal family and inspired by the deep creative partnership between Mark Podwal, one of America's most distinguished Jewish artists, and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel — encourages artists to respond to themes central to Jewish life and culture through visual art.
Ariel Podwal, son of Mark Podwal, said, "This award honors my father and his work with Elie and Marion Wiesel to celebrate Jewish life and confront antisemitism through word and image. Continuing that work with their son Elisha Wiesel and The Foundation carries our parents' shared legacy into the next generation."
LizAnn Eisen, Executive Director of The Elie Wiesel Foundation, said, "The Mark Podwal Prize affirms that art carries both joy and responsibility. By honoring these artists, we celebrate Jewish creativity as a living force — one that invites us to remember, to embrace complexity, and to move forward with purpose and hope."
2026 Prize Winners
- First Prize: Allison Zuckerman, "Even a Flood Could Not Wash Away the Flame"
- Second Prize: Joan Linder, "Titled"
- Third Prize: Max Bauman, "Emergency Golem"
