By Julie Shapiro
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
TRIBECA — An original artwork by Robert De Niro Sr. will go home with one lucky winner at the Tribeca Film Festival this spring.
The festival gives out art rather than trophies, and this year De Niro Sr.'s 1960s lithograph "Anna Christie Entering the Barn" is one of the prizes. The celebrated painter, who died in 1993, is the father of festival co-founder Robert De Niro.
Other prizes include donated works by sculptor Tom Otterness and urban landscape painter Mark Innerst, the festival announced this week.
"When we started Tribeca we decided to award original artwork to the winning filmmakers in lieu of a trophy because we felt that one artist giving to another demonstrated the importance of artists supporting each other in their work," festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal said in a statement. "We are so pleased to have these nine talented artists continue this tradition."
The paintings, photographs, prints and sculptures will go on display in a free, public exhibit in April. The festival winners will receive their prize artwork at an April 28 ceremony, shortly before the 12-day event ends on May 1.
Other artists who have agreed to donate their work so far include Inka Essenhigh, Stephen Hannock, Will Ryman, Clifford Ross, Taryn Simon and Nate Lowman. The festival plans to announce additional contributors soon.
