Marshall Hyde

The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York has presented its $100,000 Bucksbaum Award to New York–based sculptor and performance artist Pat Oleszko. Oleszko was chosen for the honor from among the fifty-six artists and collectives included in the 2026 Whitney Biennial. Oleszko was unanimously selected to receive this year’s honor.

The Detroit-born Oleszko over a career spanning more than five decades has gained acclaim for her handcrafted environments and for her use of humor. Through a practice additionally incorporating costume, film, and participatory works, she takes up themes including politics, gender, labor, the environment, and everyday life.

“Pat Oleszko is a singular force in American art, who has delighted, inspired, and challenged her audiences for half a century,” said Whitney director Scott Rothkopf in a statement. “By honoring Oleszko with the Bucksbaum Award, we continue the Whitney’s longstanding commitment to recognizing artists whose work expands the field, animates the present, and opens new ways of seeing the world around us.”
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I have known and worked with Pat for most of that five decade career. We met when I was an undergrad in art school, and our art club brought her to campus as a visiting artist. She is fearless, and fiercely committed to her personal vision of “satire, subtle-tease or insubordination.”
Over the years she has given so many artists, including me, so many opportunities to participate, get uncomfortable, explore, work your ass off, eat soup, have illegal amounts of fun, and become a family. Pat is my big art sister. I have always been so proud of her, and now she can add this accolade to her 4 NEA & NYFA grants, her Guggenheim, Rome Prize, DAAD and her Bessie.
I love you, Pat, see again you soon. Oh, and you’re buying.