Catlin Art Prize 2015

Eight of the UK’s most promising arts graduates are picked each year to show at the Catlin Art Prize exhibition. Studio International went along to talk to the 2015 finalists and see their work, including that of the overall winner, Zhu Tian

Zhu Tian (winner)

Each year, curator, publisher and art dealer Justin Hammond scours the country looking for the most promising graduate art talent. He attends degree shows, speaks to course tutors, collectors, curators and artists, and compiles a list of 40 graduates, whom he deems worthwhile watching.

Paul Schneider (Visitor Vote winner)

The Catlin Guide, launched each year at the London Art Fair, presents these 40 artists with an image of their work and a short Q&A interview about their future projects and aspirations.

Felicity Hammond

From this long-list, Hammond then selects eight artists to be in the Catlin Art Prize exhibition, held in May at the Londonewcastle Project Space in Shoreditch, east London. He looks for talent and promise, of course, but also for artists whom he thinks will work well together and produce a cohesive and coherent group show.

Jon Baker

This year, the work of the eight finalists draws on themes of urban renewal and gentrification, power struggles, and a more surprising common undercurrent, Nazism.

Lexi Strauss

The eight artists to look out for this year are: Jon Baker (Chelsea College of Arts), Felicity Hammond (Royal College of Art), Oliver Hickmet (City & Guilds of London Art School), Nicholas William Johnson (Royal College of Art), Paul Schneider (Royal Academy of Arts), Lexi Strauss (Royal College of Art), Dominic Watson (The Glasgow School of Art) and Zhu Tian (Royal College of Art).

Nicholas William Johnson

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The winner of the £5,000 prize – selected by a jury, which this year comprised Aaron Cezar, founding director of Delfina Foundation; Charlotte Schepke, founder of London art space Large Glass and previously director of the Frith Street Gallery; and George Vasey, independent writer and curator of the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art – was announced on 13 May as Zhu Tian with the Visitor Vote (£2,000) going to Paul Schneider.¹

Dominic Watson

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Catlin Art Prize 2015
Londonewcastle Project Space, London
8-30 May 2015

Interview by ANNA McNAY
Filmed by MARTIN KENNEDY

1. Unfortunately Oliver Hickmet could not be present.