Glasgow artists in for MAC £20,000 winning prize

Hawick born painter Andrew Cranston is among those shortlisted. Picture: TSPL

The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) in Belfast has announced the 24 artists shortlisted from more than the 1,000 who entered from 30 countries across the world.

The winner of the MAC International contest for contemporary art will be announced at the end of October and the work of all the shortlisted contenders, which include sculpture, painting, photography, film, installation and performance, will be exhibited in the MAC’s galleries through the autumn and winter.

Andrew Cranston and Jordan Baseman, from Glasgow, are among those shortlisted, along with London-based Mike Harvey, Tim Ellis, Mairead McClean, Roxy Walsh and Sally Underwood, and Belfast’s Dougal McKenzie and Colin Darke.

A jury of international curators including Francesco Bonami, an Italian art curator and writer who is currently the artistic director of Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, and Judith Nesbitt, head of national and international Partnerships at Tate, London, will select the winner.

MAC curator Hugh Mulholland said: “MAC International will make a major contribution to the visual arts sector in the UK and beyond. It has already made a global impact, with 1,016 submissions coming in from across the world, alongside submissions from Irish and UK artists.

“The calibre of the judging panel adds significant weight to the exhibition’s international credentials, while the £20,000 on offer to the winner represents one of the largest art prizes in the UK.

“MAC International will fully transform the MAC’s galleries during the exhibition, adding further to the MAC’s reputation as a leading cultural venue offering visitors the opportunity to see current visual art practice by local, national and international artists.

“We expect many of the visitors to the exhibition to be out-of-state, making a major contribution to Northern Ireland’s cultural tourism economy.”

Stormont Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin said: “In order to nurture young and emerging talent here it is vital they are able to experience the best from both international and home grown artists.

“The international art prize offers the opportunity to view innovative and pioneering contemporary visual art of all forms. This is at the very heart of international contemporary art and will ensure both the reputation of the MAC and contemporary arts here continue to grow.

“With the exhibition free of charge and running until January 2015, I am certain many people will take the opportunity to visit the MAC.”

The shortlisted artists are:

• Rolando Vargas - Film (Santa Cruz, USA)

• Geerk Lenz - Painting/sculpture (Dusseldorf, Germany)

• Andrew Cranston - Painting (Glasgow)

• Zimoun Zimoun - Sound installation (Switzerland)

• Jordan Baseman - Film (Glasgow)

• Darek Fortas - Photography (Dublin)

• Harri Palviranta - Photography (Helsinki, Finland)

• Roxy Walsh and Sally Underwood - Painting/Installation (London)

• Salla Tykka - Film (Helsinki, Finland)

• Hanibal Srouji - Painting (Beirut, Lebanon)

• Maria McKinney - Sculpture (Dublin)

• Mike Harvey - Film (London)

• Grace Ndiritu - Photo/Archive based installation (Birmingham)

• Tim Ellis - Painting (London)

• Shelly Nadashi - Film (Brussels, Belgium)

• Euyoung Hong - Installation (South Korea)

• Tsahi Hacmon - Sculpture/Installation (Israel)

• Dougal McKenzie - Painting (Belfast)

• Cian Donnelly - Performance (Rome, Italy)

• Baelen Steven - Drawing (Gent, Belgium)

• Ulf Lundin - Film (Enskede, Sweden)

• Mairead McClean - Film (London)

• Charbel Samuel Aoun - Sculpture/Installation (Lebanon)

• Colin Darke - Sculpture (Belfast)

For more information visit themaclive.com