Alberta Whittle Named As Recipient of the Frieze Artist Award 2020 Courtesy of Matthew A Williams
Frieze has named Alberta Whittle as the recipient of the Frieze Artist Award 2020. Supported by Forma, the award presents a major opportunity for an emerging international artist to debut an ambitious new commission for Frieze London. This year Frieze will introduce an innovative hybrid of online and offline activity, reaching audiences worldwide via the digital reach of Frieze Viewing Room, as well as celebrating the vibrant art scene in London with Frieze Week programming across the city. Frieze London is supported by global lead partner Deutsche Bank, continuing a shared commitment to artistic excellence.
Focused for the second year on the medium of film, the Artist Award is a central feature of Frieze London’s anchor programme of collaborations and talks, which takes place alongside the Frieze London gallery sections. The 2020 edition of the Frieze Artist Award was selected by a jury composed of leading industry figures, including Eva Langret (Artistic Director, Frieze London), Chris Rawcliffe (Artistic Director, Forma), Himali Singh Soin (Artist and winner of the Frieze Artist Award 2019), Victor Wan (Artistic Director and Chief Curator, M WOODS Museum) and Zoe Whitley (Director, Chisenhale Gallery).
Whittle’s winning proposal was selected from a shortlist of nominated artists including Cibelle Cavalli Bastos, Jamie Crewe, Adham Faramawy, Arash Fayez, Onyeka Igwe, Helene Kazan and Sade Mica.
Eva Langret, Artistic Director, Frieze London said:
‘Frieze is thrilled to present a major new commission by Alberta Whittle. Whittle’s winning proposal is a moving-image work that explores timely questions relating to personal healing and the cultivation of hope in hostile environments; be it the pandemic, colonialism or xenophobia. We are delighted to be partnering with Forma, for the second year, and thank them for their support in realising this significant new commission.’
Whittle’s creative practice is motivated by the desire to manifest self- compassion and collective care as key methods in battling anti- blackness. She choreographs interactive installations, using film, sculpture and performance as site-specific artworks in public and private spaces. Her winning proposal features a new moving-image work, informed by the writings of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and an interest in connecting gothic imaginaries and fear of contagion with moral panic as it relates to colonialism and xenophobia.
The commission will premiere on 8th October at 5pm, with an invitation- only screening at Forma HQ and will simultaneously become available to watch online at Frieze.com. Additional public screenings will take place at Forma HQ from 9th – 16th October, 12 pm – 5pm with advance registration essential.
About the Artist
Whittle (b.1980, Bridgetown, Barbados) lives and works in Glasgow. She is an artist, researcher and curator, and is a Research Associate at The University of Johnnesburg. She was a RAW Academie Fellow at RAW Material in Dakar in 2018 and is the Margaret Tait Award winner for 2018/9. Alberta Whittle is an artist, researcher and curator. She has exhibited and performed in various solo and group shows, including the Directors Programme at Glasgow International (2020), Grand Union (2020), Eastside Projects (2020), DCA (2019), GoMA, Glasgow (2019), Pig Rock Bothy at the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh (2019), 13th Havana Biennale, Cuba (2019), The Tyburn Gallery, London (2019), The City Arts Centre, Edinburgh (2019), The Showroom, London (2018), National Art Gallery of the Bahamas (2018), RAW Material, Dakar (2018), FADA Gallery, Johannesburg (2018), the Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg (2017), FRAMER FRAMED, Amsterdam (2015), Goethe On Main, Johannesburg (2015), at the Johannesburg Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale, Venice (2015), and BOZAR, Brussels (2014), amongst others. Her work is part of The Scottish National Gallery Collections, Glasgow Museums Collections and The Contemporary Art
Research Collection at Edinburgh College of Art. In 2021, Whittle will take part in Art Night London, British Art Show 9,
the Liverpool Biennial, ‘business as usual : hostile environment’ at Glasgow Sculpture Studios and ‘Right of Admission’ at the University of Johannesburg. Whittle’s writing has been published in MAP magazine, Visual Culture in Britain, Visual Studies, Art South Africa and Critical Arts Academic Journal.
