Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2021: Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award

3rd Prize Winner

Tina Yu

“SHUI”, Epoxy clay, polymer clay, acrylic paint, epoxy resin, 10″ x 20″ x 20″

Tina Yu is a Chinese-raised New York-based sculptor/artist. After developing an interest in sculpting in college, she decided to pursue her passion after graduating from Pratt Institute. Drawing inspiration from movies, animals, nature, Chinese culture, family, childhood memories, and imagination, Tina brings her imaginary characters to life through sculpting. Education Pratt Institute. B.A., Communication Design, 2016. She has exhibited in many solo exhibitions across the USA.

“SHUI”: As a teenager, my biggest challenge in life was not knowing who I was or who I wanted to be. I felt like I lived up to other people’s expectations. By creating an emotion that contrasts with the joyful elements of lion dancing, I want to reflect on the complex feelings I had growing up.

2nd Prize Winner: Melis Buyruk

2nd Prize Winner

Melis Buyruk

“The Rabbit / Habitat”, Porcelain, 124cm x 124cm x 10cm.

Melis Buyruk is a Turkish artist born in Golcuk in 1984. Her large-scale floral ceramic sculptures depart from contained, categorical forms of pottery, and celebrate the traditionally feminized discipline. Buyruk graduated from the Ceramic Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Selcuk University in 2007, and has exhibited across Turkey and Dubai.

“The Rabbit / Habitat”: I began to engage with these organic forms, after mediating on the relationship of humankind with nature, and our current inclination of irreversibly harming the environment. I wanted to create something new, and create spaces where all species live together without hierarchy.

1st Prize Winner: DD-Anne

1st Prize Winner

DD-Anne

“Queen of Hearts”, Porcelain, silk, clay, pearls, 48cm x 25cm x 25cm.

DD-Anne was born in Shanghai, and after studying Bioinformatics at university decided this career choice wasn’t for her, so in 2006 became a self-taught doll artist. She does all of the work herself from sculpting to fashion design. DD-Anne does not have a long arts biography, and has not yet exhibit her work in an art gallery. However, she recently won the Pandora Platinum Art Doll Prize in Russia, and was the first person to receive all of the judges’ votes in the history of the Prize.

“Although a lot of people tell me “you are a true artist”, coming from a non-art background and without the support from my family, it has been difficult to open the door to the art world.”

“Queen of Hearts”: She is from my doll series ‘Alice in Underland’. The initial inspiration was ‘famine and cannibalism’ which came from my parents’ childhood memories.

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winners, DD-Anne, Melis Buyruk, and Tina Yu !

Once again, we would like to thank all of the artists that entered, sharing their work and their artistic passion with us. It was such a pleasure to immerse myself in the work of so many creatives from all corners of the globe and read their inspirational stories.

As Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief I have the pleasure and honour of curating each issue of the magazine and our yearly exhibitions. The many wonderful and talented Art Prize entries we received have given me a plethora of new ideas and choices to pursue in future. So thank you again for your interest in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I very much hope to see how your work has grown and developed in next year’s Prize.

I would also like to sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel, particularly the Sculpture Category Judge Kristine Poole, who gave her time and expertise to the panel, the other Category Judges: Gerald Brom (Traditional Art juror), Ingrid Baars (Photography juror), and Stanley Artgerm Lau (Digital Art juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb. I would also like to thank our major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas; the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the prize and winners, and of course to my partner, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine‘s Co-Founder Richard Purssey. The judging process was extremely difficult with many noteworthy entries, so thank you again!

Our sincere thanks to this year’s Sculpture Award sponsors listed below. It is through their generosity that the Sculpture Award Winners will be able to enrich their practice.

Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award

The Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award 1st prize winner will receive:

US$3,000 cash, generously donated by Yasha Young Projects, arts philanthropist and Executive Curatorial Director for the FOR_M, a new institution currently being developed in New York city.
Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art Award trophy
The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
US$250 worth of supplies of your choice from Sculpey, making polymer oven-bake clays for over 50 years
1 year unlimited subscription to the Stan Winston School, includes unlimited access to our Course library by The Masters of FX, with new courses added every month. Also includes exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
+ most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
2nd Prize – A 3 month subscription to Stan Winston School, including full access to the entire Course library. Also, exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
3rd Prize – A 1 month subscription to Stan Winston School, including full access to the entire Course library. Also, exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
+ most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS