Jakob Nickels wins Lyonel Art Prize: A game with power and media!

Jakob Nickels wins Lyonel Art Prize: A game with power and media!

On July 11, 2025, the fine arts graduate Jakob Nickels was awarded the prestigious Lyonel Art Prize 2025. The prize, which is endowed with 2,000 euros, has been awarded since 2019 for outstanding artistic theses from the Faculty of Art and Design. This prize is awarded by the Lyonel Association for the Promotion of Art, Design and Culture (Lyonel e.V.).

Nickels’ thesis is entitled “Gentle Strength” and focuses on the fictional character “1305”. This installation is a thoughtful interplay of various aesthetic strategies from pop culture, digital gaming, esotericism and art history. The work consists of flags, images, objects and photographs that create a multimedia memory space. The jury found that Nickels' play with different media represents a contemporary reflection on power structures and visual seduction. Particularly noteworthy is the question his work raises about the social role of art in times of autocratic systems and personality cults.

Art as a form of resistance

Art has always proven to be a significant means of political articulation and protest. According to reports from Designforschung.org, the role of art in social and political movements has an ambivalent dimension. Artists and authorities use signs to represent power and status, while art stimulates thought processes and influences its recipients.

The past two decades have witnessed a rise in artistic projects in social and political activism. This art offers a platform to express political views and criticize grievances. The connection between art and protest is complex: there are overlaps between creative forms of expression and the motives of social movements.

Historical perspectives on art and politics

The influence of art on political issues dates back to the ancient world, where it was often used to underline divine or imperial authority. Throughout history, artists began to subtly criticize powerful actors. Works like Pablo Picasso's “Guernica” and Banksy's graffiti art address political questions and encourage reflection.

The relevance of artistic protest is also made clear by current examples such as Ai Weiwei or the artist group Pussy Riot. These actors use various media to bring issues of racial inequality, gender equality and climate change to the center of public debate. In a time of political and social upheaval, art remains an active participant in discourse and significantly influences public opinion.

The critical examination of art in its political context shows that it is not only a mirror of social circumstances, but also a catalyst for change. Given the diverse challenges and changes in society, the role of art as a means of resistance and as a voice of protest has never been more important. The book “The Art of Protest” also addresses how activist art can actually contribute to change by raising the question of whether such projects reach those who are truly convinced or only communicate in echo chambers.

In this context, Jakob Nickels' excellent thesis is not only an artistic achievement, but also an invitation to reflect on the role of art in today's society. The Lyonel Art Prize 2025 not only reflects individual creativity, but also highlights the contemporary challenges that art has to deal with.

For more information about Jakob Nickels and his work, read the article on the website University of Weimar. You can find out more about the connection between art and politics in the analyzes by Design research or on Artbooks Heidelberg.