BATSFORD PRIZE
The Batsford Prize Winners 2023
We’re very excited to present the winners and runners up of the Batsford Prize 2023 (Theme: At Peace)!
The five winners and eight runners up of this year’s award were announced at an awards event celebrating the shortlist at the newly opened Batsford Gallery.
For the first time in the Batsford’s Prize ten-year history, the 28 shortlisted entries were also celebrated in an exhibition, which is open until Sunday 28th May.
In his opening speech, Vaughan Grylls, Batsford Chairman and one of the award’s judges, commended all the shortlisted entries, something that was echoed by the judges throughout the awards presentation.
The Batsford Prize 2023 was judged by industry professionals Gemma Doyle, Neil Dunnicliffe, Frida Green, Hattie Grylls, Vaughan Grylls, Anne Kelly and Sam Peet.
Winner of the Fine Art Category and overall Batsford Prize 2023 winner:
Mattress
Alivia Hoy, Fine Art, Loughborough University
‘Mattress’ is an acrylic painting on a baby’s cot mattress depicting an older man. This work shows a peaceful record of time, reflecting on the moments interacted with the mattress from birth to old age.
FINE ART
Runners up:
Exposure
Rose Willis, Fine Art, Norwich University of the Arts
Exploring emotional intimacy and vulnerability within relationships, particularly intergender relationships. Using nudity as allegory for the feeling of being exposed to another person, capturing a moment within a relationship by using an immediate painting style and raw canvas.
From the Secret Garden
Xinyi Bi, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
An interactive installation with three levels of space, crafted using pop-up paper art and nylon craftsmanship, and presented in stop-motion animation.
APPLIED ART & TEXTILES
Winner:
Tranquil Japan
Pia Elliot, BA Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
A compilation stimulated by the harmony found in traditional Japanese tea houses. The collection features a unique take on every perspective of these historical locations using CAD embroidery, print and laser work to bring a sense of tranquillity into a bespoke, interior space.
Runners up:
Mauritian Landscapes
Georgia Dunn, BA Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
I chose this theme inspired by a recent trip, stimulated by the amazing, contrasting scenery. My aim was to explore the natural tropical environment looking at both foliage and architectural elements, aiming to combine abstract gestural marks with figurative elements.
The Departing Dress
Katerina Knight, Masters in Textiles, Royal College of Art London
A material memoir. An ode to healing. What is it like to be on the edge of life, to be faced with death and come back again? Perhaps you can not come back again, perhaps you can only move forward. Working with organic elements, home grown, locally foraged or collected over time.
ILLUSTRATION
Winner:
Tribe
Megan Du, Illustration and Visual Media, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
‘Tribe’ is a story dedicated to all women that explores the exploitation of modern women by beauty standards from a patriarchal society.
Runners up:
Crusts
Naomi Tipping, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
A sequence about escaping the monotony of every day life, and finding peace in feeding the seagulls.
Tiny Town
Becky Steel, BA Illustration, University Of Hertfordshire
Tiny Town is based on my small southern Italian home town Calabritto. Inspired by the picturesque mountainscapes, traditional crafts and family, my vivid memories have been brought to life in a collection of vibrant illustrations and hand made embroideries.
CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
Winner:
How To Catch An Idea
Forest Xiao, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
This is a story about a girl who travels to look for a world-changing idea. On her journey, she met all kinds of people/nature and they talk about ideas/creativity/inspiration. In the end, she did not find the idea but she is at peace with it and her inner world is transformed.
Runners up:
Shut Down
Becky Colvin, BA Illustration, University of the West of England Bristol
Shut Down is a picture book about grief and a boy who won’t take off his robot costume.
One Fine Day
Justin Worsley, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
One Fine Day is a fictional picture book about friendship, laughter and forgiveness.
CHAIRMAN’S AWARD WINNER:
Icarus From Underground
Ziyi Wang, MA Fine Art Media, Slade School of Fine Art, University College London
Projecting on folded papers, this video installation documents an attempt to fly paper planes in the underground. Planes are made from protest posters, mimic doves fly in a downward system. It echoes individual political feelings in a Covid-time Chinese transmigrant situation.
The Batsford Prize winners 2022
We are delighted to announce the winners of the Batsford Prize 2022. The theme for this year’s award was ‘Communication and Connection’ and the judges looked for entries that showed innovative and well-crafted interpretations of the theme, in terms of subject or materials used, or a combination of the two.
The judges, Eleanor Crow, Vaughan Grylls, Anne Kelly, Neil Dunnicliffe and Tina Persaud selected the winners and runners up across the four categories Applied Art & Textiles, Fine Art, Illustration and Children’s Illustration. This year also featured the People’s Choice Award, where the winner and runners up were decided by the public, from the judges’ shortlist.
The winner of each category received a £500 cash prize and books from Batsford.
View previous years’ winners here.
APPLIED ART & TEXTILES
Winner
Beneath the Surface
Grace Faichnie, BA (Hons) Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
An under the sea themed textile collection for fashion. Inspired by the beauty found beneath us. Created using digital print, fabric manipulation, laser cutting, crochet and stitch. The concept I wanted to achieve was bringing this hidden beauty to the surface.
Runners up
1960s nostalgia
Hannah Bentley, BA (Hons) Textile Design, Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton
This collection is a contemporary twist to 1960s retro textiles. The inspiration is taken from my own family heritage and is based on an archive of domestic home objects from the 60s era. The tweedy weaves and the woolly textures provide a sense of nostalgic comfort.
The Line Between Architecture and Happiness
Berfin Tepe, Textiles Design BA (Hons), Nottingham Trent University
This project aims to design a collection of textile samples that would be suitable for an application of three-dimensional textile that can be used as a room divider and wall installation pieces. All samples would be repeated into tiles, that is why they are all sized A4-A3.
FINE ART
Winner
‘Hi Daddy’ (or’If you say the words you don’t need to go back’)
Nelson, Graduate Diploma in Fine Art, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London
This is a short film about a traumatic memory centred around attempting to communicate with a parent about something difficult. In the memory, the phone used for the conversation has become an anchor object, remembered in acute detail, and linked laterally to other memories.
Runners up
Allegory of ennui and the rebellious witnesses
Miyeon Yi, MA Painting, Royal College of Art
My project is to make paintings that depicts desire for the unity and freedom within isolated life of individuals. Often the figures are divided by structure of the interior space they are placed in. I think of them similar to the Noh theater or cinematography of film from Ozu.
Possess
Duanqing Wan, MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London
The work uses ‘rust’ and ‘sheets’ as the basic elements to establish relationships. The extent to which these mediums occupy the work fluctuates with the environment and the subjective consciousness of the person. to achieve a de-centering of the subject matter.
ILLUSTRATION
Winner
Covid Tales
Wuon-Gean Ho, PhD in Printmaking, University of the West of England
I made this six minute video in the middle of the first lockdown, when communication and connection were limited to the screen. The images are all two colour linocuts which talk about working from home, the absurdity of contagion, yearning for touch and pandemic life.
Runners up
Navigating Dyslexia
Kate Rolfe, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
This is a series of illustrations I developed to visually represent my own experience of dyslexia, in the hope of providing both a mirror of validation for those facing similar struggles, and also a window through which others can better understand.
The Queer Closet
Louise Bassou, BA Illustration, Arts University Bournemouth
The Queer Closet is a collection of illustrated outfits in mundane settings. Whether the clothing was chosen as a form of self-expression or a conscious effort to defy gender norms, put in the context of queerness it challenges the cisnormative idea of gender expression.
CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
Winner
Aliens in the Park
Justin Worsley, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
‘Aliens in the Park’ is a dummy picture book that talks about a young child’s imagination, the connection they have with their mother and their growing independence.
Runners up
The Great Bear
Annabelle Booker, Illustration BA (Hons), University of the West of England
The Great Bear is a silent narrative inspired by an Inuit folktale and the real Beaufort sea polar bear- a species needing our help to preserve it, with its population at less that 400 individuals. Polar bears are vital to the arctic and the symbiotic relationships within.
Wolf and Bear
Kate Rolfe, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Wolf and Bear is a picture book about two very different friends as they navigate the impact of mental illness on their relationship. It is a story of misunderstandings, learning to balance compassion with communicating your own needs, and the power of finding common ground.
The People’s Choice Award
Winner
The Great Bear
Annabelle Booker, Illustration BA (Hons), University of the West of England
The Great Bear is a silent narrative inspired by an Inuit folktale and the real Beaufort sea polar bear- a species needing our help to preserve it, with its population at less that 400 individuals. Polar bears are vital to the arctic and the symbiotic relationships within.
Runners up
Sometimes
Frances Ives, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Sometimes is a picture book to help start a conversation about those less easily recognised feelings, that we all experience from time to time. Made with offset monotype, ink, pastels and goauche, it explores creatures as metaphors for mental health.
Wu Gui
Xinyao Yu, MA Contemporary Art Practice – Public Sphere, Royal College of Art
‘Wu Gui’ means turtle was stolen from Chinese vocabulary to be my pronoun, redefined by me while I re-identified myself. It broke the boundary of language and identity, which are fake parodies as hegemonic norms, like Wu Gui in the video connected the symbolic with the real.
The Batsford Prize winners 2020–2021
Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books are delighted to announce the winners of the Batsford Prize 2020–2021. The theme for the 2020–2021 award was ‘Our Planet’ and the judges looked for entries that showed innovative and well-crafted interpretations of the theme, in terms of subject or materials used, or a combination of the two.
The judges, Eleanor Crow, Vaughan Grylls, Anne Kelly, Emily Haworth-Booth, Neil Dunnicliffe and Tina Persaud selected the winners and runners up across the four categories Applied Art & Textiles, Fine Art, Illustration and Children’s Illustration. New for this year was the People’s Choice Award, where the winner and runners up were decided by the public, from the judges’ shortlist.
The winner of each category received a £500 cash prize and books from Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books.
View previous years’ winners here.
APPLIED ART & TEXTILES
Winner
Fragments
Megan Stavaru, MA Textile Design, Norwich University of the Arts
Fragments focusses on a variety of techniques. Inspired by cultural preservation and tradition, this series evidences influences from Romania. The traditional wall carpet has allowed me to develop a sustainable / economical ethos which creates a positive impact on our planet.
Runners up
Crystalline Florals
Emily Lawrence, BA (Hons) Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
A floral themed textiles collection for fashion. Inspired by the vibrant energy a small garden can contain during summer; something I hadn’t fully appreciated until the 2020 lockdown began. Created using a combination of digital print, hand painting techniques and embellishments.
I Spy With My Little Eye
Sophie Downes, BA (Hons) Textile Design, The Glasgow School of Art
Playing with the unpredictability and irregular finds of this game, I aim to celebrate the chaotic charm of this childlike pastime through a collection of conversational, printed and heavily embellished textiles.
FINE ART
Winner
Fertility Revolution – Surrogacy
Yu Shang, Visual communication, graphic design pathway, Royal College of Art
When the uterus becomes a tool or commodity, women are then again objectified.
Runners up
The Echo of Our Breath
Yifeat Ziv, MA Sound Arts, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
The Echo of Our Breath is a CO2 sensor-based multimedia installation, comprised of sound and video materials that were captured in the Amazon rainforest. Constantly affected by the changing amount of CO2 in space, as a result of people’s breathing, this installation offers a timespace where the unseen impact of our own presence can be sensed through sound.
The Regenesis of Energy
Katerina Evangelou, PhD in Art and Design, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
This Art Series symbolises the Regenesis/Rebirth of Our Planet. Regenesis can only be achieved through Renewable Energy. In the Series each different Artwork represents a different type of Renewable Energy. The Artworks are abstract because Energy is an abstract force. Energy is visualised in vibrant, dynamic compositions through colour/texture/fluctuating forms.
ILLUSTRATION
Winner
Happy Days?
Liam Tooher, Graphic Design, Nottingham Trent University
A selection of Black and White illustrative posters designed on photoshop depicting the sad ironies of our planet today, from rising food waste correlating with rising food bank usage to overcrowded refugee boats and billion pound oligarchic yachts.
Runners up
It’s as if skin contains land and birds
Daniel Converio, BA Illustration, Falmouth University
Mixed process, designed traditionally and then coloured digitally. A picture inspired by a quote from the book ‘Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World’, by Linda Hogan.
Wildlife
Daniela Sosa, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
A wordless love story about returning to nature.
CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
Winner
Hello Nomads
Kin Choi Lam, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
These illustrations are part of my non-fiction book about three nomadic families. They are Mongolia, Nenets and Berbers.
Runners up
A Book of Biophilia
Cathy Eliot, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
A children’s picturebook showing hard-to-translate words from different languages, describing special experiences in nature. Video of the dummy book can be found here.
Sometimes I Am
Sidsel Lindhagen, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
A poetic illustrated book about Alzheimer seen from the perspective of the sufferer. The text and images are well suited to many ages and also as a conversational piece on the theme when reading for younger children. Some of the artwork is finished. The visual language is not traditionally cohesive. Video of the book can be found here.
The People’s Choice Award
Winner
I Spy With My Little Eye
Sophie Downes, BA (Hons) Textile Design, The Glasgow School of Art
Playing with the unpredictability and irregular finds of this game, I aim to celebrate the chaotic charm of this childlike pastime through a collection of conversational, printed and heavily embellished textiles.
Runners up
That Night
Evie Fridel, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Two sisters find out their father is in hospital and go on a journey through a long dark night. The ocean around them reflects their emotional state. See more here.
It’s as if skin contains land and birds
Daniel Converio, BA Illustration, Falmouth University
Mixed process, designed traditionally and then coloured digitally. A picture inspired by a quote from the book ‘Dwellings: A Spiritual History of the Living World’, by Linda Hogan.
The Batsford Prize winners 2019
Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books are delighted to announce the winners of the Batsford Prize 2019. The theme for this year’s award was ‘Being Human’ and the judges were set with the difficult task of selecting the winners from a record number of entries. The 6 categories are: Applied Art, Fine Art, Fashion, Illustration (UK), Illustration (International) and Children’s Illustration (Presented by Pavilion Children’s Books). The 2018 award was judged by industry professionals Neil Dunnicliffe, Vaughan Grylls, Emily Haworth-Booth, Cas Holmes, Frances Moffatt, Sara Mulvanny and Tina Persaud.
The winner of each category received a £500 ($500 for the international category) cash prize and books from Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books. Art supplier Cass Art presented the ‘Cass Art Award’ to Lewis Darley, a further £500 cash prize.
The Batsford Prize is an annual award for students across the subjects Fine and Applied Art, Fashion, Illustration and Children’s Illustration.
View previous years’ winners here.
Applied Art
Winner: Joy
Daria Iwon, BA (Hons) Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
Runner up: Haptic Memories
Ana Luiz-Wright, BA Fashion and Textiles: Print, University for the Creative Arts Rochester
Runner up: The Future Is Female
Lorna Robey, BA Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design, Leeds Arts University
Fine Art
Winner: The Punishment of Tantalus
Ziwei Wu, MFA in Computational Arts, Goldsmiths, University of London
The punishment of Tantalus from wuziwei on Vimeo.
Runner up: Familiar Unfamiliar
Jo Lauren, MA Photography, Norwich University of the Arts
Runner up: Wedding Series
Rosie Rendles, Fine Art, Sheffield Hallam University
Fashion
Winner: Fashion Collection ‘Makoto’
Jogaile Zairyte, Fashion and Textile Design, University of Portsmouth
Runner up: Happy Chaos
Courtney Hoare, Fashion and Textile Design, University of Portsmouth
Runner up: Skin Garments
Megumi Ohata, BA (Hons) Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts, London and Misako Sato, Kanazawa College of Art, Japan
Illustration
Winner: Dirt
Lewis Darley, Illustration, University of the West of England
Winner of the Cass Art Award
Runner up: Mr Anxiety and his Thorny Nightmare
Guhee Kim, MA Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London
Runner up: The Giant of Grief
Fay Troote, Illustration, Arts University Bournemouth
Children’s Illustration, presented by Pavilion Children’s Books
Winner: A Grand Life of Tomatoes
Severus Shintsz Lian, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Runner up: Being Human: Please Stand Behind the Yellow Lion
Alice Courtley, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Runner up: Lascaux
Kate Winter, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Illustration (International)
Winner: On the tube
Alexandra Dzhiganskaya, Graphics and Advertising, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
Runner up: Dis/Connect
Shoshana Gordon, Illustration, University of the Arts, Philadelphia
Runner up: Lady Chatterley
Jo Zixuan Zhou, Pictorial, School of Visual Arts, New York
The Batsford Prize winners 2018
Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books are very delighted to announce the winners and runners up in the Batsford Prize 2018. We received a huge amount of entries from students responding to this year’s theme ‘Craving Colour’. The judges had a difficult job selecting the winners across the 6 categories Applied Art, Fine Art, Fashion, Illustration (UK), Illustration (International) and Children’s Illustration (Presented by Pavilion Children’s Books). The 2018 award was judged by industry professionals Anne Kelly, Sara Mulvanny, Clara Vulliamy,Vaughan Grylls, Gemma Williams, Neil Dunnicliffe and Tina Persaud.
The Batsford Prize 2018 winners and runners up were revealed at an event at art supplier Cass Art’s flagship store in Islington, London. The winner of each category received a £500 ($500 for the international category) cash prize and books from Batsford and Pavilion Children’s Books. Applied Art winner Zoe Wenban also received the ‘Cass Art Award’ a further £500 cash prize from Cass Art who were supporting the award for the 3rd year running.
The Batsford Prize is an annual award for students across the subjects Fine and Applied Art, Fashion, Illustration and Children’s Illustration. New for 2018 was the introduction of an international illustration category, opening up the award for students from the whole world.
Applied Art
Winner: What Are They Waiting For? – Cass Art Award Winner
Zoe Wenban, BA (Hons) Textile Design, Falmouth University
Runner up: Maximalism Meets Minimalism
Louisa Bishop, BA (Hons) Textiles, Arts University Bournemouth
Runner up: Craving Colour
Victoria Paulley, MA Textile Design, Norwich University of the Arts
Fine Art
Winner: Onion Town
Ronnie Houselander Cook, Master of Fine Art, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Runner up: Hydro-Logics
Monica Bonomo, MA Fine Art, Arts University Bournemouth
Runner up: Nuverland
Elliot Nehra, Fine Art: Painting, University of Brighton
Illustration
Winner: Music Celebration
Lauren Morsley, BDes Illustration, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee
Runner up: Crushing
Sophie Burrows, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Runner up: Craving Colour
Ruth Martin, Illustration, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee
Children’s Illustration, presented by Pavilion Children’s Books
Winner: The Star in the Forest
Helen Kellock, MA Illustration, The Glasgow School of Art
Runner up: Ready…Steady…Go!
Harriet Hobday, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Runner up: The Scientists and The Giant Arctic Jellyfish
Chloe Savage, MA Children’s Book Illustration, Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Fashion
Winner: Slot Swosh Tear Pop Poke Squish
Rose Dutton, BA Fashion and Textiles, University of Portsmouth
Runner up: Distorting DNA
Emma Astill, Textile Design, Arts University Bournemouth
Runner up: Ode to Hamburg
Svea Beckedorf, BA Fashion Design Womenswear, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Illustration (International)
Winner: Colorized Life
Camelia Pham, Graphic Design, Accademia di Belle Arti di Frosinone, Italy
The Batsford Prize winners 2017
Theme: Interpreting Nature
Judges: Adam Hargreaves, Alice Pattullo, Vaughan Grylls, Cas Holmes, Gemma Williams, Neil Dunnicliffe & Tina Persaud
Fine/Applied Art
Winner: Jemima Hall, Oxford Brookes University, ‘Temporality’ (also winner of the Cass Art Award)
Runner up: Farah Ishaq, University of East London, ‘Mural for St. James’
Runner up: Nathan Walker, University of Derby, ‘Individuality’
Fashion
Winner: Valeriia Kostina, London College of Fashion, ‘Sensorium’
Runner up: Brittany Alker, University of Central Lancashire, ‘Alternative Nature’
Runner up: Evangelina Rodriguez Gonzalo, London College of Fashion, ‘Where the River Meets Fashion’
Illustration
Winner: Shih-Hsien Hsu, Royal College of Art, ‘The Fragments’
Runner up: Andrew Wilson, University of West England, ‘Wool Gathering’
Runner up: Ursula Tolliday-Bolland, Cambridge School of Art, ‘Desert’, ‘Jungle’, ‘Mountains’, ‘Ocean’ & ‘Arctic’
Children’s Illustration (presented by Pavilion Children’s Books)
Winner: Katie Cottle, University of the West of England, ‘Home Grown’
Runner up: Anna Doherty, Cambridge School of Art, ‘Forest’
Runner up: Hannah Mitchell, Arts University Bournemouth, ‘Deforestation’
The Batsford Prize winners 2016
This year’s Batsford Prize has been the biggest one yet, with a record number of entries and the addition of Cass Art sponsorship and prize money. Cass Art joining us in sponsoring the overall prize was a natural fit as they share our commitment to encouraging art wherever we can.
At Batsford, we publish – day to day – a variety of fine art, illustration, fashion design and applied art in our books. I see new art on a daily basis as we commission, design and shape our books. However, the entries we get in for the Batsford Prize still stand out, they still manage to excite us, showing originality, endeavour and skill that confirms our optimism for the future of art and indeed art publishing.
We have been enjoying the Batsford Prize for several years now and it’s growing, last year we added the Fashion category and this year we have added again another category, that of Illustration.
So, we now have three categories of prizes: Fine and Applied Art; Fashion; and Illustration. Plus we have the Cass Art prize (which is the overall winner from the three categories).
With hundreds of entries this year, it was a mammoth judging session and I would like to thank again our judges for their stamina, enthusiasm and restrained biscuit-eating on the day. My thanks to judges: Michael Foreman, one of Britain’s most celebrated children’s illustrators; Vaughan Grylls, fine art photographer and former Director of the Kent Institute of Art and Design; Gemma Williams, a leading fashion writer and author; Jean Draper, one of the world’s best textile artists and lecturer in textiles; and Katie Cowan, the Publishing Director at Pavilion Books.
The theme this year was ‘Reuse, Recycle and Reclaim’ and produced some terrifically original entries. The art we saw included everything from discarded buttons to old books, from car doors to coat hangers, from mashed up papers to marshmallow sweets.
Some of the entries interpreted the brief by the theme of recycling and some interpreted the brief by both theme and the media used to make the artwork.
All the shortlisted entries were very, very accomplished but I would like to send a huge thank you to all the entrants as we enjoyed so many of them and the shortlisting in itself was a tough choice.
From the shortlist we had to pick a winner and two runners up from each of the categories. Robust discussion is the best way to describe the judging but we wanted to give full appreciation of the qualities of all the shortlisted entries. They were all very strong entries and in many ways all of them could have been the winners. But our final choice of ultimate winners and runners up was made and a huge congratulations to:
Illustration
Kaye Lindsay (University of Derby): ‘Rejuvenation’ (winner)
Kaye Lindsay’s Rejuvenation was a delicate and heartwarming animal illustration that reminded us why we must reuse, recycle and reclaim.
Aiden Moore (University of Hertfordshire): ‘Secret London’ (runner up)
Karl Ricardo (University of Derby): ‘City of Ruin’ (runner up)
Fashion
Stine Sandermann Olsen (Chelsea Collage of Arts): ‘Shedding My Skin’ (winner)
Stine Sandermann’s Shedding My Skin was a beautiful collection of wool textiles that could grace any catwalk. It was the most determined reclamation of discarded sheep wool and the final artwork was stunning.
Hendrickje Schimmel (Royal College of Art): ‘Storage’ (runner up)
Joao Elias (London College of Fashion): ‘From landfill to luxury’ (runner up)
Fine and Applied Arts
Joonhong Min University College London (Slade School of Fine Art) ‘Urban Methodologies’ (winner)
Joonhong Min’s Urban Methodologies was a feat of construction and beautiful obsessive attention to detail. We loved the detailed ink work and the ambition of the work.
Josephine Dove (Arts University Bournemouth): Untitled (runner up)
Megan Fatharly, Falmouth University, ‘Organic Chaos’ (runner up)
The Cass Art Award
Joonhong Min University College London, Slade School of Fine Art, ‘Urban Methodologies’ (winner)
– Tina Persaud, Batsford Publisher
Winners 2015
The theme for the Batsford Prize 2015 was ‘Past and Present’ and in addition to prize for Applied and Fine Arts, this year also had a Batsford Prize for Fashion, again open to students. We started the prize for Applied and Fine Arts because Batsford is well known for its applied art and particularly its textile books. However, we have been publishing books on fashion for almost just as long so to have a separate prize for Fashion definitely feels right.
This year we had a record number of entrants for the Applied/Fine Art prize and very, very encouraging numbers for the Fashion prize.
The judges – Vaughan Grylls, Jean Draper, Thomas Makryniotis and Dierdre Clancy, Katie Cowan – and I have enjoyed the process of considering all the entrants, which were of a very high standard and produced some ding-dong discussions which only calmed down on the intake of lunch and some Prosecco.
But that is the point of the prize (arguing rather than drinking): to give all the entrants our full consideration. Each of the judges found something different in the entries and championed elements not considered by others. All sorts of things jumped out of us as we went through the entries. Sometimes it was the humour of the piece, sometimes the sadness. Sometimes it was the kinkiness – one judge particularly liked the latex corset for men. Sometimes it was the unusual technique that caught our eye, such as the etching on Emily Godden’s piece, or the plasterwork on the sculpture by Elyse Bennett.
But the thing that the judges always noted and wanted to applaud particularly was the sheer amount of work that had gone into the entries. A huge congratulations to all the entrants for the work and the quality. And a special thanks to all the tutors that encouraged their students to apply.
After some arguing, closer inspection and thought, we managed to reduce the shortlist down to three final entries in each category. So, many, many congratulations to:
Fine/Applied Arts
Constantin Malmare, Coventry University, for Past Present (winner)
Katrina Ellis, Norwich University of the Arts, London Edit 6 (runner up)
Cara Green, Plymouth University, Stitched Self (runner up)
Fashion
Ella Seal (Nottingham Trent University): Captain Duffle Cape (winner)
Tarsianna Nkuranga (Coventry University): Past and Present (runner up)
Katherine Taylor (Loughborough University): That which is Absolutely Still or Absolutely Perfect is Absolutely Dead (runner up)
I would like to send a big thank you to all the entrants for sending in their entries and to the judges for their time and enthusiasm in judging the work.
– Tina Persaud, Batsford Publisher
The Batsford Prize winners 2014
The theme for this year’s Batsford Prize (2014) was ‘Working in Three Dimensions’ and entry was again open to students studying Textiles, Design, Fine Art, Photography and Illustration. The deliberations have been as much fun as last year. The judges – Vaughan Grylls, Jean Draper, Katie Cowan and myself – had quite a heated debate over lunch, coffee, tea and sticky chocolate biscuits, as there were some very interesting and provocative entries. They made us smile, nod, wrinkle our brows, look again, and even laugh.
The standard of the work was once again extremely high and all the judges were impressed by the range of the work as well as their quality. There was some very accomplished technique on display as well as original creative concepts. The work ranged from sewing your clothes around your body as you are wearing them, 3D printing, knitted sculpture to cast pewter work and detailed goldwork embroidery. As the publisher of a book list on textile art, I was delighted to see so much stitch and fabric on display.
After some agonizing, we managed to reduce the short list down to three final entries. However, we were unable to decide on the ultimate winner as two entries stood out so strongly. So we have decided to award joint first prize to two entrants. So, many, many congratulations to:
Waikeung Lam (Birmingham Institute of Art and Design): The Use of Useless (winner)
Hyeyoung Maeng (Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts in Lancaster University): Big Bracelets (winner)
Hannah Newton (Falmouth University): Mark of the Maker (runner up)
Fiona Ward (Barton Peveril Sixth Form College): Floating (special commendation)
I would like to send a big thank you to all the entrants for sending in their entries and to the judges for their time and enthusiasm in judging the work.
– Tina Persaud, Batsford Publisher
The Batsford Prize winners 2013
As one of the judges for the Batsford Prize, open to undergraduates in applied and fine arts, I have spent the last couple of weeks looking at some thought-provoking and innovative applied and fine art from the entrants. The theme of the entries this year was ‘The Written Word’ and entry was open to students studying Textiles, Design, Fine Art, Photography and Illustration.
The standard of the work was very, very high and all the judges were impressed by the calibre of the work, both creatively and technically. We thoroughly enjoyed the process of looking through and discussing the entries (and the lunch that went with it). The work ranged from an alternative publication format that was sewn, collage, stitched writing, ‘painted’ writing to reworkings of a dress pattern. As the publisher of a book list on textile art, I was delighted to see cutting-edge use of stitch and cloth in so much of the work.
The judging panel, after some deliberation, whittled the entries down to a shortlist and then down to the final three: one winner and two runners up. While there were slight differences in our preferences, there was one stand-out entry that was highlighted by all the judges. The two runners-up entries were also strong pieces of work that were selected by the judges. So many, many congratulations to:
Jessica Kopka, University of Huddersfield, for Overcoming 2012 (winner)
Kate Whitton, Norwich University of Arts, for A Polish Narrative (runner up)
Victoria Pickering, University of Ulster, for A Package of Dreams (runner up)
I would like to send a huge thank you to all the entrants for sending in their entries and to the judges for their time and enthusiasm in judging the work.
– Tina Persaud, Batsford Publisher
