Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2019
8 March – 14 July, York Art Gallery
The Aesthetica Art Prize is an annual exhibition that invites audiences to explore, discover and engage with new ideas. The works on display cover a range of themes from technology, urbanisation and digitisation to population growth, ecological destruction and climate change. We are living in the Anthropocene. It’s the only time in history that human impact has had such a negative effect on the planet.
Great art can change lives. It reveals things we don’t know and encourages us to think differently. Art is a way to convene, discuss and understand the world. There have been considerable shifts in civilisation in the Information Age – changing the way we communicate with each other. We are experiencing a level of disconnect that has never previously existed. The Digital Age has created a new way of seeing.
The pieces included in this year’s exhibition draw on both personal and universal narratives, looking at how we are so connected to the internet and our own personal profiles – along with likes and shares – that we are forgetting how to forget something. Now is the time to evaluate the wider impact this will have on culture and future generations. In the age of globalisation, societies are becoming homogenised and identity is fluid. What does this mean for the individual?
The Aesthetica Art Prize is an annual exhibition that invites audiences to explore, discover and engage with new ideas. The works on display cover a range of themes from technology, urbanisation and digitisation to population growth, ecological destruction and climate change. We are living in the Anthropocene. It’s the only time in history that human impact has had such a negative effect on the planet.
Great art can change lives. It reveals things we don’t know and encourages us to think differently. Art is a way to convene, discuss and understand the world. There have been considerable shifts in civilisation in the Information Age – changing the way we communicate with each other. We are experiencing a level of disconnect that has never previously existed. The Digital Age has created a new way of seeing.
The pieces included in this year’s exhibition draw on both personal and universal narratives, looking at how we are so connected to the internet and our own personal profiles – along with likes and shares – that we are forgetting how to forget something. Now is the time to evaluate the wider impact this will have on culture and future generations. In the age of globalisation, societies are becoming homogenised and identity is fluid. What does this mean for the individual?
Main Prize Winner: Jenn Nkiru
Emerging Prize Winner: Maryam Tafakory
View the work of 2019’s Shortlisted Artists | View the work of 2019’s Longlisted Artists.
Lunchtime Talks at York Art Gallery
Led by artists, curators and academics they offered an insight into current themes in the art world.
Visitors can further their appreciation of contemporary art through attending talks held at York Art Gallery.
Meet the Artists
Friday 8 March, 13:30pm
Meet the Artists: The 2019 shortlist will be present to discuss their works. The artists will speak in detail about the concepts behind the shortlisted pieces across a range of media including photography, installation, video, sculpture and painting. Hear directly from the artists that are helping to shape the Prize and how they are navigating today’s current artistic landscape.
Art as a Mechanism
Thursday 28 March, 12:30pm
Kate Simpson, Assistant Editor at Aesthetica, leads an engaging tour around the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition, identifying key themes and techniques present in the 2019 shortlisted works. The talk will emphasise how contemporary art is being used as a mechanism to understand the world around us, stimulating and encouraging debate alongside asking key questions about the current state of play.
Breaking into the Art World
Thursday 25 April, 12:30pm
Cherie Federico, Director and Curator of the Aesthetica Art Prize, discusses the role that art prizes play in talent development, expanding on the selection process and how works are introduced into the prize as a testbed for new ideas. This revealing talk will look at ways to break into the creative industries, and offer insight into how awards can lead to further opportunities within the sector.
What is the Future of Photography?
Thursday 16 May 12:30pm
The photographs in the Aesthetica Art Prize are both aesthetic and conceptual. What makes an image work and how do photographers express meaning? In a world riveted by images, it’s never been a more important time to understand the power of this media, and how through social media, images can transform the world in a matter of seconds. Cherie Federico and Kate Simpson discuss.
Curating the Aesthetica Art Prize
Thursday 13 June, 12:30pm
How do you make sense of so many ideas? The Aesthetica Art Prize attracts a vast number of entrants, how are the works curated together into one cohesive narrative? What is the thread that binds them together? Griselda Goldsbrough, Curator of the Prize, will speak about the works on display, and how they are chosen to excite and engage audiences on many levels.
Art Is A Way to Convene
Thursday 4 July, 12:30pm
Art educates, enriches lives and holds a mirror up to society. It asks difficult questions and encourages viewers to think about both the personal and universal narratives that connect us. In a world that is increasingly divided, contemporary media can offer solutions and present alternative ways of thinking. How does art help our wellbeing and how can it change lives? Griselda Goldsbrough discusses.