Saatchi Art has announced that Jonathan Gabb had won the record-breaking 'In Glorious Colour' showdown, which was presented in partnership with Winsor & Newton and the Saatchi Gallery. The prize attracted a staggering 6440 entries over just 12 days, officially making it the most highly-submitted and sought after art prize in the world. Gabb's winning piece is entitled 'Deep Gum 8', and is a celebration of the manner in which abstract painting can interact and engage with architectural form. Gabb is a London-based artist who previously won the WW Solo Award in 2012 and had his first solo exhibition at the WW Gallery last year.
'Deep Gum 8' is a celebration of the manner in which abstract painting can interact and engage with architectural form
Gabb said of the piece, which (like many of his pieces) takes the form of various coloured ribbons of paint hanging in delicate patterns, that as they adhere to the walls, ceiling and lighting of the space in which it's being displayed, that “The ribbons of paint generate a luminous and vibrant composition which constantly changes as the viewer moves into and around the work." Gabb's pieces are indicative of the sheer majesty and transformative power of paint, and are as beautiful and complex as they are challenging and hypnotically compelling.
Artist 'Jonathan Gabb'
Both the winner and the runner-up were announced last Thursday night in London during a private viewing of the 'Showdown' exhibition at Winsor & Newton's Griffin Gallery. The runner-up prize went to fellow UK-based artist Vivien Zhang for her piece; 'Order, Oscillation, and Pretence Gesture', and both artists received art materials from Windsor & Newton worth £500 (for Zhang) and £1000 (for Gabb). Judges for the competition included acclaimed artist Jaime Gili, Saatchi Gallery CEO; Nigel Hurst, Saatchi Art curator; Rebecca Wilson and Rebecca Pelly-Fry, the director of the Griffin Gallery. Previous judges have included such respected names as Ged Quinn, Peter Coffin, Barnaby Furnas, Dexter Dalwood and Chantal Joffe, amongst others. The competition was first launched in 2010 as an opportunity not just for artists to showcase their work and have it judged from celebrated artists and curators alike, but for collectors of fine art to discover global emerging artists for themselves.
The runner-up prize went to Vivien Zhang for her piece; 'Order, Oscillation, and Pretence Gesture'
The winners were selected from a pool of 10 finalists, whose work will remain on display at the Griffin Gallery in London until the 18th of April and online at Saatchi Art. Other finalists include Robert von Bangert (USA), Matt Coombs (USA), Arpad Forgo (Hungary), Guy Matchoro (France), Cécile van Hanja (Netherlands), Dragomir Misina (UK), Alexandros Papathanasiou (Italy) and Jessica Rimondi (Italy).
Official Saatchi & Saatchi Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance copywriter based around Birmingham in the UK. He doesn't know much about abstract art, but he knows what he likes when he sees it and he really quite likes deep gum 8.
