Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce the winners of its 2018/19 CSR Art Programme featuring artwork by students from the University of Westminster and Royal College of Art (RCA), the world's most influential postgraduate art and design school.
After much debate and careful consideration of the 34 shortlisted artworks, the panel of judges, including Joseph Constable (Assistant Curator, The Serpentine Galleries), Melissa Magnuson (CSR Art Programme alumna), and artist Michael Pinsky, selected two winners, one from the University of Westminster and one from the RCA.
Jake Kehar Gill, a graduate from the University of Westminster, received the Emerging Talent Award for his bold and striking photographs Toeing the Line (top right). RCA graduate Sooyeun Lee received the Senior Partner Award for her personal series of hand stitched characters On The Genealogy of Mortality (left).
Leanne Wiggers and Emma Stevenson, both from the University of Westminster, and Yushi Li and Alvin Ong from the RCA were also "highly commended" by the judges for their artworks.
RCA graduate Yushi Li was also announced as the winner of the popular vote, which was open to everyone who works at Travers Smith, for her powerful photograph Your Reservation is Confirmed (Garden)(bottom right).
All three winning artists have been awarded £2,000 to support them with their transition towards professional practice.
Travers Smith CSR Partner Donald Lowe said: "This year has seen another talented cohort of artists' work feature throughout our offices, and we are delighted to be able to support graduates from the University of Westminster and Royal College of Art as they transition from university life to professional practice. This year's collection was our biggest to date and certainly prompted some lively discussions around the office, which highlights how invested the whole firm is in supporting the programme and the participating artists."
University of Westminster winner Jake Gill commented: "I am so thrilled and honoured to be chosen for the Emerging Talent Award this year. Participating in the CSR Art Programme has been a great experience for me as it has raised my awareness of the business side of the creative industry. I would like to thank the judges for recognising and understanding the message of my project. I'd also like to thank Travers Smith for their generosity and supporting me as an artist throughout the year. I hope to continue my relationship with Travers Smith with my endeavours and career".
RCA winner Sooyeun Lee said: "It’s been a great honour to be a part of CSR Art Programme 2018-2019. I did not expect to win, but I am very pleased and honoured that my work was selected at the winner of the Senior Partner Award. It made me feel proud of being a textile artist. I would like to thank Travers Smith for the wonderful opportunity and continued support throughout the year."
Joseph Constable, Assistant Curator, Serpentine Galleries, said: "Travers Smith’s CSR Art Programme offers artists an exceptional level of support at one of the most significant moments in the development of their practice. The programme stands out for its extended investment in and dedication to the recent graduates involved in the process each year, as well as a deep understanding of the practicalities of working as an artist today. It has been a pleasure to engage with the work of these emerging practitioners within the context of Travers Smith’s collection, and to encompass exciting new directions that are both challenging and thought-provoking. This sentiment is very much in line with the Serpentine’s remit as an open landscape for art and ideas, and we are delighted to continue this meaningful collaboration with Travers Smith."