This year’s Aesthetica Art Prize has been won by John Keane for his images drawn from Stalinist terror. CHARLES HUTCHINSON introduces the winner.

JOHN Keane has won the main prize in the Aesthetica Art Prize 2015 competition in York. His winning work, four paintings from his Fear series (2013), is on show at York St Mary’s, Castlegate, where the award ceremony was held on Wednesday.

Working in oil paint and linen, Keane draws on images from the Stalinist terror of the 1930s, sourced from mug shots of arrested victims, some well known, some anonymous, in Moscow. Monumental in scale, these paintings distil the essence of the human emotion usually to be found at the root of all violence: fear.

“I am sincerely honoured and thrilled to have received the award, particularly in competition with such a strong and diverse group of shortlisted artists,” said Keane.

“The paintings in this exhibition are fragments of an extreme and terrible moment of modern history, but as I am constantly reminded, the dangers of such events happening again must be guarded against, and it is my hope that art can help to play some small part in this.”

Keane rose to prominence in 1991 when he was appointed as the official British war artist during the Gulf War, and he has continued to investigate political questions, while also producing portraits of notable individuals such as the late Mo Mowlam, Jon Snow and Kofi Annan.

Cherie Federico, director of the Aesthetica Art Prize and editor of Aesthetica Magazine, said: “John Keane’s paintings powerfully capture the fear surrounding the Moscow show trials, inviting us to pause and reflect upon how this fundamental human emotion plays a key role in our lives and is universally resonant. We are delighted to present the Main Prize award to John for his phenomenal paintings.”

Fast-rising star Suzanne Mooney won the Student Prize with Come Away O… (2013) and Tokyo Summit A (2012) in a week when the Irish photographer and artist, now resident in Japan, flew to Britain, picked up the prize and then took a flight to Chicago to address a conference.

Suspended from the rafters of York St Mary’s, and comprised of two photographic images of near-identical window frames, Come Away O… invites onlookers to partake – for a transient moment – in a figure’s contemplation of the Tokyo landscape below.

Mooney observes and experiments with landscape as a theme in her work, be it the scenery of her home country, Ireland, or less familiar terrains. “Come Away O…is part of a larger body of work, Outside In, which explores city-view observatories in Tokyo and considers the importance of the act of a viewing a city from above to the urbanite,” she said.

Keane receives £5,000, Mooney £1,000, courtesy of prize sponsors Hiscox, along with £400 each in art supplies vouchers, courtesy of Winsor & Newton, and books from Prestel.

They were among eight artists on the prize shortlist whose works will be on show at York St Mary’s until May 31, in an exhibition co-ordinated by Aesthetica with the York Museums Trust.

Photographic and digital art are represented by Mooney and Marcus Lyon’s Exodus (2010-2014); three-dimensional design and sculpture by Australian artist Julian Day’s sound sculpture Requiem (2012) and Sheffield designer Owen Waterhouse’s Mobius 1.00 (2014).

Marking the 100th anniversary of Harry Brearley’s discovery of stainless steel in Sheffield, his ever-spiralling, never-ending circle of 100 pieces of this utilitarian metal emphasises its recyclable nature.

Keane’s fellow nominee in painting and drawing, Saliha Elhoussaini, presents Interdependence (2014); Vera Drebusch’s Preservation (2012) and Chocolates (2014) and Matt Parker’s The Cloud Is More Than Air And Water (2014) were picked out in the video, installation and performance category.

More than 3,500 entries were submitted from 60 countries, from which a long-list of 100 was selected and then the final eight, judged by a panel led by Cherie Federico. Work by the other long-list artists can be seen on screen as well as in the Aesthetica Art Prize Anthology, published by Aesthetica, available at the exhibition, online and at British galleries. The shortlisted artists are featured in the April/May issue of Aesthetica Magazine too.

Exhibition visitors can vote for their favourite work in the People’s Choice Award. An accompanying free prize draw provides the chance to win a night out for two in York: meal and drinks to the value of £100 at The Star Inn the City; two tickets to Reel Cinema, York; and champagne cocktails at 1331 in Grape Lane.

 

• John Keane leads off a programme of free lunchtime talks on April 9. Further talks follow by  Dr Sam Lackey, curator at The Hepworth, Wakefield, April 16; Sarah Perks, artistic director (visual art & film) at HOME, Manchester, April 23; and Matthew Hawthorn, head of art & design, York St John University, April 30.
Next come Whitney Hintz, independent advisor and curator of the Hiscox Collection, and Jenny Alexander, senior curator of art at York Art Gallery, May 14; Dr James Boaden, lecturer in history of art at the University of York, May 21; and Marcus Lyon, Art Prize finalist, May 28. Talks start at 12.30pm; no need to book.


• Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition, York St Mary’s, Castlegate, York, until May 31; open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 4pm; free admission.