Liz West shortlisted for 2016 Aesthetica Art Prize, Exhibition and Book

The Aesthetica Art Prize shortlist and longlist have been announced, featuring 100 contemporary artists from around the world. The shortlist includes 10 artists whose work will be exhibited in York from 14 April to 29 May at York St Mary’s – York Art Gallery‘s contemporary art space. The exhibition celebrates excellence in contemporary art, spanning photography, painting, drawing, installation, sculpture, artists’ film and performance.

Alongside the exhibited works, there will also be a series of free lunchtime talks led by key figures in the art world, including artists and curators. These talks will enable audiences to further their engagement with the exhibition, and explore best practice across a range of disciplines. Industry professionals will also provide a unique insight into the creative sector from both organisational and individual perspectives.

Shortlisted artists include Ellie Davies, whose submission Between the Trees 14, 2014, was included in The Royal Academy of Arts 2015 Summer Exhibition in London, and Manchester-based emerging artist Liz West, recipient of an RBS Bursary Award 2015, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London.

Andrea Luka Zimmerman, recently shortlisted for Film London’s Jarman Award was also selected for the Aesthetica Art Prize exhibition, along with Henry Driver, who has exhibited at Tate Britain and Tate Liverpool, as well as across the UK. Other finalists include Adriana Salazar, David Hochgatterer, Gabriela Torres Ruiz, James Winter, Jennifer López Ayala and Rachel Ara.

A further 90 artists are featured in the longlist. Their work will be published alongside the shortlisted pieces in the Aesthetica Art Prize Annual, a publication that accompanies the exhibition in spring. Showcasing cutting-edge practice from today’s pioneering artists, this book is an inspiring collection that encourages an awareness of the innovative work being produced around the world today.

The longlisted artists’ works will also be displayed on a monitor in the gallery, enabling the audiences to explore the diversity of work included in the Prize. The longlisted and shortlisted pieces connect with issues relevant in today’s society and contemplate topics such as the environment, urbanisation, technology, loss of the individual and globalisation. The Prize also highlights work that challenges its own genre and provokes debate around its form and function.

See the full shortlist and longlist here.

The Aesthetica Art Prize is currently open for the 2017 exhibition. To enter, and for submission guidelines, visit www.aestheticamagazine.com/art-prize