The ARTiculation Prize is a nationally acclaimed annual event designed to promote the appreciation and discussion of art.
The competition seeks to engage 16 – 19 year old students in further education, regardless of background or experience, with art and to develop their confidence and ability to express their opinions, thoughts and conclusions. Each student is invited to deliver a ten minute presentation to an interested audience about a work of art, artefact or architecture of their choice. Adjudicators are asked to assess each presentation as a whole, looking at content, structure, delivery and the speaker’s unique potential. Around 4,000 young people a year take part.
This year, three LVI girls, Esme Gordon-Craig, Tanya Pavlenko and Jasmine Tung competed in this not only national, but now international competition. On 4 December we were treated to three fabulous talks. Esme spoke about ‘The Lady of Shalott’ 1888 by John William Waterhouse, giving a very personal account of the painting and looking at the rise of the red head as a supermodel. Tanya also gave a personal and poignant account of Sergey Alekseevich Luchishkin’s ‘The Balloon Flew Away’, 1926 contextualising the work within the economic climate of Russia in the 1920’s. Last, Jasmine gave her presentation on Gericault’s ‘Raft of the Medusa’, 1818. All the talks were excellent.
The adjudicators, Mrs Gardiner-Legge and Franny Hunt-Davis, found coming to a decision incredibly difficult. On the basis of a well-researched yet very personal approach, unusual in its angle and very well presented, Esme Gordon-Craig was the winner.
We are delighted to confirm that Esme has secured her Speaker’s Place for the Regional Heat at St Swithun’s School, Winchester on Wednesday 10 January 6pm – 8.30pm. Well done Esme!