M&C Saatchi Group and Saatchi Gallery announce Haining Wang from Beijing, China, as the overall winner of their international art initiative, Art for Change Prize, which invited emerging artists from around the world to creatively respond to the theme of ‘Regeneration’ for the chance to win a grand prize of £10,000.
Haining was announced as the overall global winner of the Art for Change Prize at a dedicated exhibition unveiling at Saatchi Gallery, by Chair of Judges, Justine Simons. The evening included a panel discussion with some of the leading voices in arts, culture and sustainability, who discussed the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency. Haining will receive a £10,000 cash prize, as well as having her winning artwork, Molt (The Time Reset Aqua) and Molt (Lather & Peel, Bain Lumiere), displayed in the gallery from 30th November 2023 until 7th January 2024.
Influenced by a career in the finance industry, Haining Wang’s work considers the politics of corporate life and social hierarchy in the context of global capitalism and consumerism. She received a B.A. from Yale University in Ethics, Politics, and Economics (2016) and an M.A. at the Royal College of Art in Contemporary Art Practice (2023). Her winning installation, Molt (Lather & Peel, Bain Lumiere) and Molt (The Time Reset Aqua) reflects on the relationship between subject and object, commodities and bodies, consumption, and trace by hinting at consumerism’s provocation of excess. The title of the body of work – “Molt” – refers to the process by which animals shed skin as part of a natural process of regeneration. The installation explores the idea that behind the consumption of beauty and cosmetic products lurks an urge to preserve and perfect – an ironic nod to the lasting impact of commodity culture on the environment. The empty bottles and vessels stand as relics of this culture that will soon grow obsolete, stripped of brand adornment but still identifiable as shells. The ubiquitous containers are embalmed while their exoskeletons are extracted. Erect or limp, plump or wrinkled, they are traces left behind, reduced to pockets of air trapped in plastic skins – muted rubber phantoms.
I was honoured to chair the judging panel for the Art for Change Prize, which celebrates the ability of art to create real world change. Art has the power to spark a conversation, it can bring a fresh perspective and can play an important role in transforming the conversation around the climate emergency.
Congratulations to Haining Wang for winning the prestigious award and to all the other shortlisted artists for such powerful responses to this year’s theme ‘Regeneration’.
Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture & Creative Industries, Founder and Chair of the World Cities Cultural Forum and Art for Change Prize Chair of Judges,
This year’s climate-focused prize celebrates the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency. The total number of entries increased by 20% from last year, totalling 3,000, from artists based in 130 countries within M&C Saatchi Key global regions (Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East & Africa and UK), with over 56% of them developing nations from within Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. A winner from each location was carefully selected by some of the best business and creative minds from M&C Saatchi Group globally and a special selection of eminent guest
judges***.
Each winner in this non-for-profit initiative will receive a £2,000 cash prize, as well as having their artworks displayed alongside Haining’s at Saatchi Gallery. The winning artworks open a conversation to examine this year’s theme from different global perspectives, look to create new stories of a liveable future, and empower individuals and entities to act. It’s a call to action for meaningful change, recognising that there is no art on a dead planet.
The five regional winners are****:
• Americas Winner – Ingrid Weyland from Buenos Aires, Argentina for her work
Topographies of Fragility XXXV and Topographies of Fragility XXXVI
• Australia Winner – Jen Valender from Melbourne, Australia for her work Sediment
and Artist as Animal
• Europe Winner – Alina Zamanova from Kyiv, Ukraine for her work Our Children are
Fighting too
• Middle East & Africa Winner – Chibuike Ifedilichukwu from Anambra, Nigeria for his
work Equality State
• UK Winner – Natasha Botelho Cook from London, England for her work The Garden
of Dried Roses
The prize was launched as part of a shared mission by M&C Saatchi Group and Saatchi Gallery in making art, culture, and creativity accessible to everyone. The aim is to highlight and stimulate dialogue around visual arts as an active medium for positive global and social change and give exposure to emerging artists worldwide.
Now in our second year, we’ve been delighted to see the Art for Change Prize grow even bigger with 20% more entries from every corner of the globe. As a global creative solutions company, we believe we have an obligation to help identify the next generation of artists to help tackle the increasing barriers to entry to the creative industry. Given the urgency and importance, Regeneration is a critical theme to explore to drive positive and social change across the world and is something M&C Saatchi are firmly committed to.
Richard Thompson, M&C Saatchi UK Group Chairman
Grand Jury Judges include:
Justine Simons, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture & Creative Industries and Founder and Chair of the World Cities Cultural Forum, Paul Foster, Director at Saatchi Gallery, Ronaldo Tavares, Executive Creative Director at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, Klara Eide, Partner & Executive Strategy Director at M&C Saatchi Stockholm, Lucas Crigler, Creative Director at SS+K, Part of M&C Saatchi Group, Ryan Reed, Chief Creative Officer at M&C Saatchi UAE, Ali Shabaz, Chief Creative Officer at M&C Saatchi Singapore, Emma Robbins, National Executive Creative Director, M&C Saatchi Australia
