Jerwood Moving Image Awards – Shortlisted artists announced
The 30 artists shortlisted for the inaugural Jerwood Moving Image Awards have today been announced by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, with all selected works now available to be viewed online at www.jerwoodmovingimage.org.The panel of judges, chaired by dancer and choreographer Wayne McGregor, were impressed with the quality and diversity of submissions to this competition which celebrates and supports emerging artists. Shortlisted pieces feature a range of genres including animation, dance, installation music video and documentary.
The shortlist reveals not only some of the most exciting new talent in digital art today, but also the tremendous possibilities offered by this medium, with a superb variety of techniques and styles on display. Several entries feature an innovative fusion of artistic practices, for example ‘The Final Act of Geng Yaoting’ which brings together digital technology and oil painting, or ‘Tralala’, a stunning mix of animation and live action.
The list varies as much in subject matter as technique, from the humorous study of putting things off in ‘Procrastination’, to ‘It, God’, a very personal meditation by the artist on faith. As well as showcasing artistic ability and technical skill, the selection features some highly original and imaginative concepts for example in ‘Monoclock’, a playful depiction of the secret life of a digital clock, or ‘Francis’ a compelling account of the creation of a nine year-old ‘disturbed’ animated character.
The initiative encompasses a broad range of disciplines, as reflected in several collaborative works, including the dance piece ‘Kate Lunn’ and ‘Evensong’, which explores landscape, light and music, and for which the director worked closely with sound artists. An unconventional type of collaboration is featured in ‘My Life at 40’, an animated dramatisation of a script written by the artist as a child, creating a fictionalised dialogue by the director and her 12 year old self.
Wayne McGregor, Chair of the judging panel commented: “It’s been a fascinating process viewing the many entries for this award. The diversity, quality and content of the films has been wide-reaching and the shortlist not only celebrates this excellent range, but demonstrates that there is a wealth of burgeoning new talent working within the digital moving image medium.”
The Jerwood Moving Image Awards demonstrate the Foundation’s commitment to endorsing new practices in contemporary art, offering funding and support for emerging artists working with new technologies. The emphasis is also very much on introducing new audiences to digital moving art, with works streamed online and pieces by 8 finalists – to be selected in February – going on display at the Jerwood Space from 20 February – 20 March. The three winners, each receiving £10,000 will be announced on 4 March.
18/01/2008
