The jury, led by Bazon Brock and Markus Lüpertz, didn't have an easy time this year choosing the three winners of the 2007 competition from the 20 submitted works submitted by students, all of which where thoroughly interesting and stimulating. The 1st prize in the amount of 5,000 euros was awarded to Diesterweg Gymnasium in Plauen for their work "Der Mensch steht im Mittelpunkt" ("Man is the Focus").

The work combines different media in a complex spatial installation. The jury felt that the students succeeded at utilising and exploring the Museum's offerings and its exhibited works to the fullest, yet without putting a damper on individual creativity. They reacted to the museum's artistic pieces with their own unique ideas and integrated these very reactions in their work in an ironic manner. The result is a playful yet intelligent approach to today's art.

The 2nd prize in the amount of 2,000 euros was awarded to the Städtisches Gymnasium Ochtrup for their work "Chaos und Ordnung" ("Chaos and Order"). The jury recognised a successful symbiosis of creative dialogue and technical realisation. The students' approach of immortalising themselves in wood was particularly original, and resulted in amazing portraits.

The 3rd prize in the amount 1,000 euros was awarded to the Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium in Bergisch Gladbach for their work "Jeff / Klappstuhlfilme und Versuche zu Stephan Balkenhols 'Hexagon und Fries'" ("Jeff / Folding Chair Films and Attempts at Stephan Balkenhols 'Hexagon and Fries'). The relationship between the inner world (museum) and the outer world is staged in film based on a "chair" motif.

The Deutsche Bank Foundation organises this competition in co-operation with the Küppersmühle Museum for Modern Art in Duisburg and the City of Duisburg. It aims to help youths find their way towards an active, creative dialogue with contemporary art. The development of independent opinions with regard to current artistic issues and forms of expression is fostered in a special way, through the youths’ own creative activities.

From some 3,000 secondary schools nationwide, 20 classes were drawn to take part in the competition. They were invited to spend a day at the Küppersmühle Museum for Modern Art. Together with their teachers and the museum’s art educationalist, they got to know the displayed exhibits – including works from Georg Baselitz, Candida Höfer, Jörg Immendorff, Anselm Kiefer, Markus Lüpertz and Rosemarie Trockel – and were challenged to interpret them creatively.

The classes had two months’ time to design their own works. They were free to select the medium and topic, but all the students in each class were expected to participate and develop a shared artistic concept for their works.