Mandy Payne awarded top prize in New Light Prize Exhibition
New Light, a forward thinking charity that supports talented contemporary artists in the North of England, is delighted to announce that Broken Brutalism by Mandy Payne has been awarded the £10,000 Valeria Sykes Award at the New Light Prize Exhibition 2015.
A Sheffield-based artist, Mandy studied for a BA in Fine Art with the University of Nottingham. Since 2012, she has been a full-time artist. Her work explores Park Hill in Sheffield, a Grade II* listed council estate and one of Britain’s largest examples of Brutalist architecture. Beyond Brutalism depicts the estate’s urban flux, with some parts of it transformed into luxury flats while other areas remain boarded up and derelict. Mandy uses materials integral to the estate itself to produce her work, namely aerosol paints which reference the graffiti on the buildings and concrete. The Patron’s Choice Award of £2,500 was awarded to Josephine by Newcastle-born artist Joshua Waterhouse. Figs by Anna Poulton who lives in Harrogate, Yorkshire, was awarded the Swinton Foundation Prize for emerging artists, and the Zillah Bell Printmakers’ Prize was presented to Stone Pen by Emma Lawrenson who was born in Huddersfield and now lives in Holmfirth.  Laura Gascoigne, art critic and judge, commented: “Given the extraordinarily wide variety and high standard of this year's shortlist, choosing a single winner was a difficult decision, but in the end Mandy Payne's work stood out for the originality of its concept as well as its subtle artistry and technical skill.” The winning artworks will be on display alongside the other selected works - a total of 84 by 61 artists, with three additional works by Josie Jenkins, winner of the 2013 Valeria Sykes Prize - at the Bowes Museum, Co Durham until 7 February 2016. The exhibition will then tour to the Mercer Gallery, Harrogate, in February after which a selection of the works will travel to Panter & Hall Gallery, London in June. All artworks are still in with a chance of winning the Visitors’ Choice Award which will be presented to the work which receives the most public votes at each venue.
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