CVAN South East has announced the artists selected for this year’s Platform Graduate Award. 23 artists from across 14 universities will exhibit work across four partner galleries, including Aspex in Portsmouth, MK Gallery in Milton Keynes, Modern Art Oxford and Turner Contemporary in Margate.
Each gallery will select one artist who will be put forward for the award, with the winner receiving a bursary of £2,000 and mentoring. The winner will be announced on 23 November by guest selector and artist Mikhail Karikis.
At Aspex in Portsmouth the selected artists include: Jade Anthony and Sofia Popova (Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton), Jaz Bartlett (University for the Creative Arts, UCA Farnham), Sasha Damjanovic (University of Portsmouth), Gwen Datyner (Southampton Solent University), Tobias Gumbrill (Arts University Bournemouth), Rebecca Harte (University of Chichester), Connie London (University of Chichester), Imogen Marooney (Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton), Mathew Scott (Southampton Solent University), Katherine Smith (University for the Creative Arts, UCA Farnham), Oliver Whitehead (University of Portsmouth), and Jack Woolston (Arts University Bournemouth).
The artists showing at MK Gallery, Milton Keynes are: Natalie Andrews (University of Bedfordshire), Lana Fotheringham (University of Hertfordshire) and Jan Harrington (University of Northampton).
Exhibiting at Modern Art Oxford are: Kulsuma Monica Khatoon (Oxford Brookes University), Amy Richardson (University of Reading), and Grace Robertson (Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford).
Finally, the artists selected to exhibit at Turner Contemporary, Margate are: Jordan Colbert (University of Kent), Sian Hookins (University of Kent), Sara Jackson (University for the Creative Arts, UCA Canterbury), and Wren Moat (University for the Creative Arts, UCA Canterbury).
Commenting on the selection, Jo Bushnell, director, Aspex, and deputy chair, CVAN South East said: “The Platform Graduate Award has grown to be a vital showcase and professional development opportunity for emerging artists in the South East. Aspex is proud to work with our partners to continue the great work of this initiative and to spotlight the diversity of practice being produced in the region’s art schools. At a time when our region’s exemplary art and design HE institutions face pressures of finance and national policy, it is also important to restate the contribution they make to our thriving sector.
Established in 2012, the Platform Graduate Award is an initiative to support emerging graduate artistic talent to further their practice following graduation. In addition, the scheme aims to stimulate artist networks outside of London and encourage artists to stay in the South East region.
Last year, the award was won by UCA Farnham Fine Art graduate Josephine Rock, who was nominated by Aspex. In 2018, more than 50,000 people visited the Platform exhibitions across the four partner galleries.
The Platform Graduate Award 2019 exhibition dates are:
Modern Art Oxford, 5 September – 13 October 2019 (solo exhibition series)
Turner Contemporary, Margate, 2 October 2019 – 5 January 2019 (solo exhibition series)
Aspex, Portsmouth, 4 October – 29 December 2019 (group exhibition)
MK Gallery, Milton Keynes, 7 – 30 November 2019 (group exhibition)
Images:
1. Wren Moat, Bath Soap and Body, installation view at University for the Creative Arts – UCA Canterbury, 2019
2. Natalie Andrews, Artificial Worlds, untitled landscape view, 2019
3. Grace Robertson, B-side, shift, installation detail, 2019
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