The focus of the Carnegie Art Award is the Nordic artist. Not the viewer. Not the Nordic seasons. Not the rights or wrongs. Although the artist might need the viewer, you and me, at the end of the day, the artist is alone with his or her ambitions, skills, thoughts and feelings. He or she is left to produce what might become excellent art. The obiective of the Carnegie Art Award is to add an extra incentive for the artist to try even harder. The incentive consists of being part of the Carnegie Art Award exhibition, and thus included in this book. And, possibly, of being among the award winners. For us, the viewers, it is time to approach the Carnegie Art Award 2001. It is the result of the intense work of many, many artists. More than 100 artists have been nominated, and among them the jury has selected 22 to form the Carnegie Art Award 2001. It is a great honour and pleasure for me to thank all the artists, nominators and members of the jury for their great contributions to the Carnegie Art Award 2001. And I feel greatly inspired in welcoming you, the viewer, to an experience, that I sincerely hope you will find inspiring and challenging.