The winner of the Gillian Dickinson Trust North East Young Sculpture Award 2017 has been announced as Northumberland-born artist Peter Hanmer. He will receive £6,500 to develop his proposal, The Cave, into an installation which will be unveiled in spring 2018.
The work will feature sculpture and sound, filling the Potting Shed at Cheeseburn Sculpture Gardens in Stamfordham, Northumberland with over 50 miniature figures. Hanmer’s previous work has involved the creation of figurative models inhabited by miniature animal bone characters.
Hanmer, who is currently studying for his Masters in Fine Art at Newcastle University, said: “I am delighted to have been chosen as winner of this prestigious award out of some really stiff competition. I can’t wait to get to work building my piece.”
Matthew Jarratt, curator at Cheeseburn Sculpture, added: “We are really excited to commission Peter’s installation within the Walled Garden Potting Shed at Cheeseburn. His ideas of creating a ‘sculptural world’ of miniature figures amongst the flowerpots and lawnmowers fascinated the judges.”
In addition to financial support in creating the work, Hanmer will also receive mentoring and support in the run up to his exhibition next year.
The selection panel for the award were Joseph Hillier, artist; Joanna Riddell, founder and owner of Cheeseburn Sculpture; Matthew Jarratt, curator at Cheeseburn Sculpture; and Alexander Dickinson, trustee for The Gillian Dickinson Trust and Partner at Bond Dickinson LLP.
Over 30 artists aged 18-25 applied from across the north east region. The final shortlist of 12 included a number of representatives from the area’s universities, including Newcastle University, Sunderland University and Northumbria University.
The judges also took into account votes from visitors to the gallery and online votes through Facebook.
Started by Riddell in 2015, the first recipient of the award was Sunderland University graduate Dan Gough last summer. His installation Scurry is currently on view at Cheeseburn Sculpture on designated opening weekends. The work features 2,000 red and grey ceramic squirrels sited within the Victorian Walled Garden at Cheeseburn.
For more information visit www.cheeseburn.com
Image:
1. Peter Hanmer with his proposal for The Cave. Courtesy Cheeseburn
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