A painting by a lecturer at the University of Chichester has won an award at a national art competition.
Fine Art lecturer Chris Aggs won the Southern England Prize at the National Open Art Competition for his work, ‘Yellow Interference’.
The competition began in 1996 and runs from Chichester each year, organised by local sculptor Neil Lawson Baker. The event is now considered one of the premier art competitions in the country, with a judging panel chaired by one of the founder members of the Young British Artist group, Gavin Turk.
The work of all finalists was exhibited in the Minerva Theatre in Chichester until 13 November.
Chris said: “I am delighted to have been included in this exhibition and winning this prize is an amazing bonus. Painting is a fairly solitary activity and the endorsment of a prestigious panel of judges is a great encouragement. I have already spent most of the money on artists materials. On one level my painting is a landscape but it is also about looking and about making a painting, it doesn't really have a fixed meaning, I hope people will bring along their own readings.”
Professor Clive Behagg, Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of Chichester, presented the prize to Chris at a Private View in the Minerva to mark the start of the exhibition period. He said: “It is such a pleasure to present this prize to a member of our own staff and one whose work I have admired for a long time. It is a great testimony to the quality of expertise and talent that students are able to draw on at the University, and great to see this point demonstrated by a panel of high profile international judges.”
Chris’ work will soon be put on display in the Learning Resources Centre at the University’s Bishop Otter Campus in Chichester, which is open to members of the public.
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