Friday, January 23, 2015

Artes Mundi - A new kind of Art Prize?

Did you know that:
  • the biggest contemporary art prize in the UK is the Artes Mundi - or that it is worth £40,000?
  • that the exhibition is held in Cardiff and not London?
  • the winning piece is called A Complicated Relationship between Heaven and Earth or When We Believe.
  • the £40,000 Prize was won this week by a Chicago based artist and social activist called Theaster Gates....?
Do watch the video, it's a slow start but stick with it.


Artes Mundi 6 Artist Film - Theaster Gates from Artes Mundi on Vimeo.

Here are some facts and some links which tell you about Artes Mundi and this year's shortlist and winner.

Images of Artes Mundi from the Facebook Page
the chap sitting on the podium (top left) is Theaster Gates

Artes Mundi Facts


Whilst there is no single overarching theme, at the heart of Artes Mundi is a desire to present art which directly engages with people's lives and with what it means to be human, exploring social themes from across the globe but which also resonate locally and touch all our lives.
    Theaster Gates' practice includes sculpture, installation, performance and urban interventions that aim to bridge the gap between art and life. He works as an artist, curator, urbanist and facilitator, and his projects attempt to instigate the creation of cultural communities by acting as catalysts for social engagement that leads to political and spatial change.
Works by 10 international artists fill three venues in Cardiff and Penarth in this uneven but fascinating show. It doesn’t get the publicity of the Turner prize, it doesn’t insist on new work, and few of the artists have previously had major UK shows. The Guardian

More information about Theaster Gates

visual artist, social activist, urban planner, musical performer, teacher

More information about Artes Mundi





Note: Artes Mundi, the organisation behind the prize and exhibition, is an international arts organisation committed to supporting ground breaking, international, contemporary, visual artists whose work engages with social reality and lived experience. The organisation is publicly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and by Cardiff City Council and runs a sustained programme of outreach and learning projects throughout the year.

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