The Midas Award 2011
Wednesday, 09 November 2011
‘Messiah II', ‘Meat in Plastic Bags' and ‘Trio of Fox' are just some of the titles of exploratory artwork to feature in the Midas Award 2011 Exhibition of seven BA(Hons) Fine Art graduates from University College Falmouth. Six of the artists were shortlisted in June for this year's Midas Award, the winner of which will be announced at the Millennium gallery on Friday 11 November at the private view of their group show. Also on display will be the work of last year's Midas Award winner, Katie Sims, as a solo show.
Now in its sixth year, the Midas Award is an initiative between Midas Construction, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Millennium Gallery and UCF to help emerging artists enter the professional contemporary art world. The 2011 winner will receive a year's supply of art materials and a solo show at Newlyn Art Gallery in the autumn of 2012, providing another rare chance for a new artist to present work in a high profile professional venue.
Of her experience last year and in the run up to her solo show, Katie Sims commented: "Winning the Midas Award had a tremendous impact upon my confidence as an artist. Just being part of the competition last year and featuring in such a strong group show, allowed me to see my work in a professional gallery context. This is a huge stepping stone for any recent graduate and I was delighted to receive recognition for my work as winner.
"The event, whilst marking a fantastic conclusion to my time as a student at University College Falmouth, also helped me to realise that a professional career was achievable. I am really excited to return to Cornwall and exhibit in conjunction with this year's Midas Award. It will be a great pleasure to show work at the renowned Millennium Art Gallery, and I look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year's selected artists."
Martin Walton, Business Development Manager of Midas Construction, and one of the award's seven judges said: "I am delighted with the response from the Graduates who have put forward their work for the prestigious Midas Award, and which has proved to be a sustainable award now in its 6th year. Midas is extremely supportive to new emerging artists and we look forward each year to the Summer Shows, knowing that we will never fail to be impressed by the commitment and high standards shown by the graduates - it is a testimony to the calibre of the UCF teaching staff."
The show is open until 29 November with free admission and visitors can view works that span a range of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, video, printmaking, modelling and installation. A range of experimental subjects will be addressed, such as: the translation of cinematic sequences into single painted images; Dynamic Action Portraiture (DAP) that consists of an interactive drawing board; and mortality and ritual within the death of animals, in particular road kill.
Katie will be exhibiting along side her contemporaries: Alastair Barford; Susan Clarke; Clare Flawn; Andrew Gomez; Zoe Koperski; and Emily Platzer. For more information about the artists' work, please visit The Midas Award 2011.
The judges were: Martin Walton, Business Development Manager and Keith Hosen, Project Director from Midas Construction; Joseph Clarke, Director of Millennium Gallery, St Ives; James Green, Director, and Blair Todd, Deputy Director and Exhibitions Manager, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange; Sara Black, Director, ProjectBase; and Jeremy Diggle, Dean of the School of Art & Design, UCF.
Media relations contact
Sally Grint - Communications & PR
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University College Falmouth, Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RH
Tel: 01326 255854
Mobile: 07780 565552
Email: sally.grint@falmouth.ac.uk
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