The Hix Award, the art prize set up by the restaurateur and author Mark Hix, has shortlisted 15 artists for 2019.
The annual award was created in 2013 to showcase the work of new artists and is open to either current students or recent graduates of UK art colleges.
The winner will receive £10,000 towards studio costs, a trophy designed by Damien Hirst, and a solo exhibition at Hix Art, Hix’s gallery in Shoreditch, London.
The second prize winner will receive £1,000 in CASS art vouchers and the People’s Choice winner will get a weekend trip for two to HIX Townhouse in Lyme Regis, with a dinner at HIX Oyster & Fish House.
The full shortlist is:
Alexander Dixon (MA Fine Art, Central Saint Martins), Bianca Barandun (MA Printmaking, Royal College of Art), Christopher Hartmann (MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths), Dafni Atha (MA Fine Art Print, Royal College of Art), David Mullen (MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths), Gabriela Giroletti (MFA Painting, Slade School of Fine Art), Jacob Littlejohn (BA (Hons) Painting & Printmaking, Glasgow School of Art), Jung Min Park (BA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Arts), Lucy Gregory (MA Sculpture, Royal College of Art), Megan Mary Baker (BA Fine Art, Central Saint Martins), Melissa Hartley (BA Fine Art, Central Saint Martins), Paul Wood (MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths), Richard Baker (MA Creative Practice, Leeds Arts University), Saroj Patel (MA Fine Art, Central Saint Martins), and Yulia Iosilzon (MA Fine Art, Royal College of Art).
This year the prize’s main sponsor is Hauser & Wirth. The commercial gallery’s co-founder and president, Iwan Wirth, said: “Our role as gallery is to be an incubator for art, talent and ideas.
“Artists are at the core of all our activities so we are particularly proud to support the Hix award, an initiative which helps artists at a crucial moment when they are starting out on their journey.”
Hix said: “We were overwhelmed by the applicants this year and it was as hard as ever to narrow the field down to just 15. It will be even harder to pick a winner!”
The winner will be announced on 24 October at an awards ceremony at the gallery. The second prize winner will receive £1,000 CASS art vouchers and the People’s Choice winner will get a weekend trip for two to Hix Townhouse in Lyme Regis with a dinner at Hix Oyster & Fish House.
The judges this year include Wirth, Eliza Bonham-Carter, head of art at Royal Academy of Arts, GQ editor Dylan Jones, and Artlyst founder Paul Robinson.
The Hix Award 2019 exhibition continues until 10 November 2019 at Hix ART, 32 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3LX
Images:
1. Christopher Hartmann, No Longer Present, 250 x 200cm, Oil on Canvas, 2019
2. Paul Wood, Thing about a watershed, 204 x 163 x 53cm, Oil paint and UV on aluminium, 2019
3. Saroj Patel, Taraxa, 80 x 80 x 80cm, Acrylic spray paint, fabric, metal, polyester and emulsion 2019
4. Melissa Hartley, Reflection, 244 x 438 x 1.2cm, Acrylic paint on birch ply, 2019
5. Jung Min Park, Unveiling, 53 x 48 x 73cm, Glazed ceramic with sound and plinth, 2019
6. Richard Baker, Hall Stand, 21 x 27cm, Oil on panel, 2019
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