The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts is presented to current MIT students, undergraduate and graduate, for excellence in a body of work in the visual arts. Students submit an artistic portfolio for consideration. Applications are considered each spring.

Portfolios are evaluated based upon the coherence and scope of the body of work, as demonstrated by the clarity of inquiry or vision; quality of execution of artistic product; command of medium; use of materials, including technology, computation, fabrication, and research; and demonstrated ability of the artist to contribute to and impact artistic conversations and practices at MIT and beyond.

A generous endowment allows for the award of graduate student prizes of $5,000 each, and undergraduate prizes of $2,500. Recipients also participate in a joint exhibition in the Wiesner Student Art Gallery (in 2023 this exhibition will be presented in digital format).

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts was established in 1996 through the generosity of Harold and Arlene Schnitzer of Portland, Oregon. Schnitzer, a real estate investor, graduated from MIT in 1944 with a degree in metallurgy.

For more information, please contact council-arts@mit.edu

Installation view of Po-Hao Chi
Po-Hao Chi, Performative Aramono, 2020. Presented at Chung Hsing Cultural and Creative Park, Taiwan.

2021

First Prize: Po-Hao Chi
Graduate Student in the Program in Art, Culture and Technology at MIT

Second Prize: Chucho Ocampo
Graduate Student in the Program in Art, Culture and Technology at MIT

Third Prize: Carolyn Tam
Graduate Student in Architecture

Honorable Mention: Nina Lutz
Graduate Student in Media Arts and Sciences

Visit the online exhibition

Read an article about the 2021 Schnitzer Prize recipients.

Installation view of sonic sculpture inside colorful CERN in the LHC ALICE Detector in Switzerland.
2020 Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts First Place Winner Nicole L'Huillier's El Poema de la Fábrica Cósmica. Image courtesy of the artist.

2020

First Prize: Nicole L’Huillier
Graduate Student in Media Arts and Sciences, Media Lab (Opera of the Future)

Second Prize: Rae Yuping Hsu
Graduate Student in the Program in Art, Culture and Technology at MIT

Third Prize: Jonathan Zong
Graduate Student in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (CSAIL) Visualization Group

Honorable Mention: Elaheh Ahmadi ’20
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Honorable Mention: Siranush Babakhanova ’20
Physics

Visit the online exhibition

Read an article about the 2020 Schnitzer Prize recipients.

A student wearing a colorful headpiece sits surrounded by other colorful patterned sculptures.
Image: Guillermo Bernal. Courtesy of the artist.

2019

First Prize: Guillermo Bernal
Graduate Student in Media Arts and Sciences, Media Lab (Fluid Interfaces Group)

Second Prize: Erin Genia
Graduate Student in the Art, Culture, and Technology Program (ACT)

Third Prize: Emily Toomey
Graduate Student in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Honorable Mention: Dipo Doherty
Graduate Student in Integrated Design and Management

Watch a video about the 2019 recipients of the Schnitzer Prize.

Read an article about the 2019 Schnitzer Prize recipients

An artist sits in a dark room next to a spotlight projection.
2017 Schnitzer First Prize Recipient Ani Liu's Mind Controlled Spermatozoa, 2017.

2017

First Prize: Ani Liu G, Course 4 (Media Arts and Sciences)

Second Prize: Angel Chia Ling Chen G, Course 4 (Art, Culture and Technology)

Third Prize: Jessica Sarah Rinland G, Course 4 (Art, Culture and Technology)

Honorable Mention: Edwina Portocarrero G, Course 4 (Media Arts and Sciences)
Honorable Mention: Anne Marie Graziano G, Course 4 (Architecture)

 

Read more about the 2017 Schnitzer Prize recipients.

Ani Liu’s Mind Controlled Spermatozoa.

Watch a video about the 2018 recipients of the Schnitzer Prize.

A gallery wall of photographs.
Installation of photographs by Qiuying Lai, 2016 Schnitzer Prize Recipient.

2016

First Prize: Joshuah Jest G, Course 4 (Art, Culture and Technology)

Second Prize (tie): Laura Perovich G, Course 4 (Media Arts and Sciences)

Second Prize (tie): Emily Tow G, Course 2 (Mechanical Engineering)

Third Prize: Chris Kerich G, Course 21W (Comparative Media Studies/Writing)

Honorable Mention: Qiuying Lai ’17, Course 6 (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
Honorable Mention: Deniz Tortum G, Course 21W (Comparative Media Studies/Writing)

Read more about the 2016 Schnitzer Prize recipients.

Installation of photographs by Qiuying Lai in the Wiesner Student Art Gallery.