As Hotel Designs continues to focus this month’s spotlight on art and photography, editor Hamish Kilburn joined the 23 talented shortlisted BA & MA students of The Graduate Art Prize 2018, who gathered at the London offices of Herbert Smith Freehills on November 1, to find out which one of them would take the crown of being the winner of…
Concluding this year’s nationwide search to find Britain’s top young artists, 23 shortlisted students -from Brighton to Newcastle – were invited to last night’s final of the Graduate Art Prize 2018. Launched in 2012 by art consultants ARTIQ, the awards ceremony, which this year was sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills and Atlantis Art Supplies, is recognised as a major platform for young artists to amplify their work to leading designers and hoteliers in Britain and beyond.
The evening showcased the variety of different art styles, motifs and concepts from each of the 23 finalists before the crowd gathered to hear the announcement to reveal who this year’s publicly voted for runner-up and cash-prize winner was.
Runner-up, and claiming a £500 voucher for supplies from Atlantis Art Supplies, was Felicity Meachem from University of Brighton for her oil on canvas piece entitled ‘Im alright, hiding tonight’. “I’m delighted and overwhelmed to be the first person to receive the runners up prize,” said Meachem on the night. “As well as the voucher, the chance to sign with ARTIQ will be an invaluable experience. These kind of opportunities such as The Graduate Art Prize are so important in order for artists to have viable careers. I feel that this is such a crucial time for artists, where I am right now, still fresh out of Art School. Therefore, I have no doubt that this platform will help elevate me into the art world.”
The winner of The Graduate Art Prize 2018, who wins £2,000 and a £500 voucher for supplies from Atlantis Art Supplies, was Theo Bargiotas from University of Oxford who flew in from New Orleans for the event. His oil on canvas entitled ‘Untitled’ was inspired by an abstract dream. Speaking ahead of the evening , Bargiotas said: “I try to capture that dream moment that most people suspect exists, but are not sure how to immortalize and portray. This is a crucial mission for the painter today; trying to detect the sublime and spiritual in everyday gestures and circumstances, probing the dark side of the moon, and showing it to humanity in the form of a picture, a painting.”
Commenting on his win, Bargiotas said: “It is truly a pleasure to be a part of the Artiq Graduate Art Prize. Winning the prize has functioned as a vehicle to communicate my cosmology to an audience outside of the strictly academic world, which is a necessary process for artist and audience. Organisations like Artiq provide this bridge between the introverted word of image-making and the hungry eyes of image appreciators and for this I am grateful.
“There is an extra degree of satisfaction for me, when I think about my work being showcased in corporate environments, providing a much needed optical refreshment for many pairs of eyes every day.
“All in all, winning a prize is of course enjoyable but the most significant aspect is that the work gets seen. The bigger the prize, the greater the audience, and this is what pleases me.”
Image caption: Theo Bargiotas’ Untitled
Among the artists Hotel Designs recognised as relevant for the contract market was Demi Bromfield from Lancaster University. Her piece entitled ‘Handmade Persi’. Describing her work, Bromfield said: “Manipulating the notion of haptic criticism, the paintings create an ambivalent illusion of texture and façade, sometimes harnessing elements of raised surfaces whilst in others remaining entirely flat.”
Image caption: Demi Bromfield entitled Handmade Persi
The shortlisted finalists, who each have been invited as ARTIQ artists, were:
Ahae Kim (Slade School of Fine Art)
Alexander Fox-Robinson (Carmarthen School of Art)
Amir Behbahani (University of West London)
Andrei Costahe (Slade School of Fine Art)
Andrew Loggie (City of Guilds of London Art School)
Camila Quintero (Camerwell College of Arts)
Demi Bromfield (Lancaster University)
Felicity MeachEm (University of Brighton)
Hannah Regal (Slade School of Fine Art)
Isabel Mills (Newcastle University)
Jiarui Li (Royal College of Art)
Judy McKenzie (Royal College of Art)
Kaethe Butcher (Camberwell College of Arts)
Liqing Tan (Slade School of Fine Art)
Maximilian Wasinski (Slade School of Fine Art)
Min Zhao (Slade School of Fine Art)
Oliver Hoffmeister (Newcastle University)
Phillip Reeves (Goldsmiths)
Qiujun Chen (Camberwell College of Arts)
Radek Husak (Royal College of Arts)
Samson Edward Tudor (Loughborough University)
Sooyoung Chung (Royal College of Art)
Theadoros Barigiotas (University of Oxford)
William Stockwell (Newcastle University)
Hotel Designs is proud to support ARTIQ as it continues to recognise and celebrate fresh artistic talent. The Graduate Art Prize comes ahead of this year’s highly anticipated Brit List 2018, taking place on November 22 at BEAT London, which will name the top 75 most influential designers, hoteliers and architects in Britain.
Main image credit: Felicity Meachem, I’m alright, hiding tonight.
