University of Chicago writer Rachel Cohen has been honored with the Berlin Prize by the American Academy in Berlin. This accolade is given to U.S. scholars, writers, composers, and artists who demonstrate exceptional excellence in their fields.
Cohen will be part of the 2025-26 cohort of fellows at the American Academy in Berlin. During her fellowship, she will have time and resources to further her scholarly or artistic endeavors.
The cultural critic intends to use this opportunity to work on "Time in Pieces: Artists at Work," a collection of essays exploring how artists from various eras depict time.
“I was thrilled,” Cohen remarked upon learning about the award. “It's just amazing to have this supported time and access to all these collections in Germany.”
About 15 years ago, Cohen noticed a shift in her perception of time. She found that others shared similar sentiments, often attributing it to factors like climate change, technology, or political unrest.
“I was researching different eras of visual art, and I was noticing that time is always something that feels different in every era,” said Cohen, who teaches as a professor of Practice in the Arts within UChicago’s Creative Writing Program.
To express her understanding of fragmented time, Cohen began crafting essays linking visual artists across various periods. Her work spans from Edo period Japan through Impressionism in Paris to Surrealism reaching Mexico City. Previously, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship for this project.
In Germany, Cohen plans extensive research in museums and archives such as the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum in Bremen. She aims to study German artist Paula Modersohn-Becker's work and view Jenny Holzer's permanent installation 'Mother and Child.' Additionally, she seeks to explore connections with Berlin-based artists including UChicago ceramicists Ruth Duckworth and Theaster Gates and conduct interviews with contemporary artists about their practices.
“This has changed the whole view of what this project can be,” Cohen expressed regarding her expanded vision for the project.