The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) has announced the award winners for RSA New Contemporaries 2016, with Glasgow School of Art graduate George Ridgway the recipient of the major £14,000 Fleming-Wyfold Bursary.
During an opening ceremony in Edinburgh for the eighth edition of the annual show, a further £20,000 worth of awards went to a further 20 artists. Emily Binks receives the £10,000 Glenfiddich Artists in Residence Award and Iona Roberts the £5,000 Stevenston Award for a painter of merit.
Alongside his award of £10,000 plus £4,000 production budget, Ridgway will receive expert mentoring from curator Susanna Beaumont, who will work with the artist over the next year.
A selection of artworks by Ridgway and several of his RSA New Contemporaries peers will also be exhibited later this spring in London at the David Roberts Art Foundation (DRAF) as part of a partnership between the RSA, DRAF and the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation.
Representatives from each of these organisations formed part of this year’s Fleming-Wyfold Award selection panel. Alongside Beaumont, the panel consisted of: James Knox, Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation’s director; Vincent Honoré, director of DRAF; Bill Smith, previously of the Fleming Collection; and Edinburgh-based artist Kevin Harman.
Ridgway was chosen from a shortlist of 60 exhibiting artists. “The sheer range of works on display at RSA New Contemporaries is testimony to the strength of Scotland’s art schools,” said Knox.
“Selecting a winner has been challenging but the panel unanimously decided to award the bursary to George Ridgway as one of the most innovative artists who is engaging with performance, musical composition, sculpture and drawing.”
The RSA New Contemporaries exhibition is at the Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture, Edinburgh, until 30 March 2016. A selection of works then tour to the David Roberts Art Foundation, Camden, London from 21 April to 7 May 2016 forming the New Scottish Artists exhibition
