Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4 New Sensations Prize

Art | 4 Aug 2011 | By Damon Syson

’Natural Inside’ by Jonny Briggs, winner of the 2011 New Sensations Prize

Finalist Jonny Briggs, 26, is a student at the Royal College of Art. His work in photomontage and tapestry explores the themes of childhood, family and self

Artist Jonny Briggs has scooped this year’s New Sensations Prize. The 26-year-old Royal College of Art graduate won the award - given out annually in Britain by the Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4 - for his work in photomontage and tapestry, exploring notions of childhood and self. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Glasgow School of Art graduate Gabriella Boyd was given a Special Commendation for her depictions of imagined interiors, inspired by surrealism.

See the Channel 4 ’Random Acts’ film on New Sensations winner Jonny Briggs
The New Sensations Prize - named after the seminal 1997 exhibition that cemented Saatchi and the YBAs’ reputations - is open to all art students graduating from universities and colleges in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Although only five years old, it is already viewed as an important showcase for the art world’s future luminarie.

Entrants submit their work online, and from these a long-list of 30 names is selected by the Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4. The judging panel - including Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers - then whittles down the list down to 20 names, before selecting four finalists - each of whom receives a bursary to make a new work, as well as having a short Channel 4 film made about them.

See the Channel 4 ’Random Acts’ film on New Sensations runner-up Gabriella Boyd

The two other finalists for 2011 were Ronin Cho and Krystina Naylor. Their work and that of the other 16 artists short-listed can be seen at the New Sensations exhibition, which runs until 17 October 2011.

’The Empathetic vs. The Mimic’ by Jonny Briggs

’Reclaiming’ by Jonny Briggs

’Green Sofa’ by Gabriella Boyd, who was awarded a Special Commendation

Finalist Gabriella Boyd, 23, is a student at Glasgow School of Art. Her series of paintings of invented interiors are inspired by Surrealism

’Blue Room’ by Gabriella Boyd

’Orange Room’ by Gabriella Boyd

’Untitled (open box I)’ by Krystina Naylor

Finalist Krystina Naylor, 22, is a student at Nottingham Trent University. Inspired by Trompe L’oeil, this series of sculptures convinces the viewer at first sight that it is an open cardboard box. It is only on closer inspection that its true form is revealed

’Untitled (open box I)’ by Krystina Naylor

’Mindless Consumption’ by Ronin Cho

Finalist Ronin Cho, 29, is a student at Goldmsiths. His kinetic sculptures enforce the idea that ’the practical application of technology can support the creation of art or be a central component to the formation of it.’ Mindless Consumption is a closed circuit pump system which circulates water in the tube.