Converse and Dazed&Confused recognise the difficulties that face all young emerging artists from financial, to becoming recognised and to be represented by a gallery. The two have teamed up and are calling out all young to enter the Converse/Dazed Emerging Artists Award (you can read more about the competition here).A panel of highly acclaimed judges that includes Sadie , Mark, Tom Morton, Isobel, Tim Marlow and Francesca Gavin will select three submissions. These three artists will exhibit their work at the Stephen Friedman Gallery besides winning a generous cash prize. We caught up with Francesca Gavin to find out more about the competition and her individual projects.
First of all please tell us a bit about yourself and your involvement in Converse/ Dazed Emerging Artists Award.
Among other things, I'm the Visual Arts Editor at Dazed & Confused. I work as a freelance art writer, curator and have written 3 books on art and design (the fourth, a survey of emerging artists, is out Jan 2011!). I put together the panel for the prize and am one of the judges. Its something I'm really passionate about - getting recognition when you haven't got a gallery is hard.
Your are interested in street art, which is recognised more and more as a form of art. What first fascinated you in street art?
Well it was a long time ago! My sister used to wander around London taking photographs of crumbling walls and disintegrating spaces - i used to come with, hold her camera bag and we'd began to see the first wave of street art emerge out of graffiti. At that time it felt really fresh - areas that are now gentrified were once covered in paste ups, images, stickers, graff. It made the spaces feel alive.[Francesca Gavin is author of Street Renegades: New Underground Art. Please click here for a review]
Favourite Street Artists? Favourite example of Street Art? and why?
I like work that veers closer to 'fine art' - more sculptural strange objects in the street rather than 2D images. Like Truth in Poland, Brad Downey. I'll always have a soft spot for Space Invader I think.
Although Converse/ Dazed Emerging Artist Award is open to all medium it does not include street art. Why so and is this fair on street artists?
The prize focuses on bringing attention to people that are not represented currently by galleries. But what art you make however is very open, so that's not true. Saying that we did have in mind to fill the gap in the art world left by Becks Futures etc. There's no award out there for younger fine artists and it can be very hard to get a gallery.
The call for artists claims that the competition's criteria is innovative work. As one of the judges how do you define innovative work?
Well not an obvious homage to another artist! I spend a lot of time looking at artwork - everyday in fact. As do all the other judges So its an instinctive process. You know if you've seen it all before. We're looking for innovation in approach, material, concept, style...
The involvement of mega brands in the arts has drastically risen in the past decade. At times this has received negative criticism what are your thoughts on this?
I agree in many cases it can feel contrived and abuses the artist's work. However I think Converse's involvement in this prize has been amazing as they are in no way impacting on the content of the work. It isn't about making art for a shoe or with a brand-friendly brief. They believe in supporting and nurturing new talent for its own sake and I think that has to applauded.
Each week a favourite submission is published on Dazed Digital. Have you had a look at some and have you already decided which ones are your favourite?
I'm really excited by all of then! The quality of work being submitted is brilliant. It would be rude to choose.
Image 1: Converse/Dazed& Confused Emerging Artists Award, Courtesy of Dazed Group
Image 2: Brad, Traffic for Berlin 2008, Museum, Germany,Urban detritus, gravity,Photo by Just,Courtesy of the Rik Reinking Collection. Image taken for Fox&Squirrel from Brad official website.
