While we all eagerly wait, our Jury Panel including esteemed sculptor Ellen Jewett, have been going through the entries and making very difficult decisions. The overall quality of entries was exceptional and we are deeply honoured by our community of creatives and their interest in the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. Now in its 6th year, our annual non-acquisitive international art prize, focusing on Contemporary Art, celebrates diversity and excellence in all static mediums of representational visual arts – including Traditional and Sculpture Art media, Digital Art media and Photographic media, with wide-ranging techniques, styles and genres from realism to hyperrealism, to pop surrealism and lowbrow movements.
We have received sculptures in multiple mediums including metal, marble, wood, gold, glass, plaster, stone and semi-precious stones, artificial stone; silk, dried and fresh flowers; kozo tissue, papier-mâché, vintage items, fabrics, many resins, ceramic, clay, cement, wool, moss, latex, wax, Polylactic acid (PLA), epoxy, glazes and paints, taxidermy, found objects, synthetic lashes, and even horns, glass eyes, human hair and bones! The imagination and expert level of experimentation has amazed us. Never have we seen such an array of themes and mediums.
What an incredible array of entries received for the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize! Thank you so much to everyone who has entered.
DANIJELA KRHA PURSSEY, CO-FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BEAUTIFUL BIZARRE MAGAZINE
The Prizes
From the 145 Finalists, the Winners in each category, and Grand Prize Winner will be invited to participate in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition at Haven Gallery alongside 70+ of the best contemporary artists from around the world. Plus share in over $50,000 USD in cash and prizes including: a non acquisitive cash prize, product prizes, advertising packages, editorial in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, exclusive interviews published on the Beautiful Bizarre websites, exposure to our 1M+ social media community, and much more!!
In addition, each sponsor will choose one outstanding work from their award category to receive an Honourable Mention. Stay tuned to learn more!
People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award Winner will be selected by popular vote from the 145 Finalists. The People’s Choice Winner will receive a year’s worth of social media advertising through the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine socials to ensure they are able to connect with the right audience of engaged creatives, collectors and gallerists, raise their profile, associate their work with other leading creatives, and of course to grow their social media following. They will also enjoy a Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory for 12 months, plus a 12 month Beautiful Bizarre Magazine print subscription, and an in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize websites, giving readers an insight into their vision and practice. Voting will open on 24 August [AEDT, Australian Eastern Daylight Time]. To ensure you don’t miss your chance to vote, please join our email mailing list here.
Stay tuned: the Photography, Digital Art, Traditional Art and Emerging Artist Finalists will be announced later this week.
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.
- US$400 worth of services from Stan Winston School, including an all-access 1 year subscription which includes unlimited access to their Course library by The Masters of FX, with new courses added every month. Plus exclusive access to the Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
- US$250 worth of supplies of your choice from Sculpey, making polymer oven-bake clays for over 50 years.
- A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
- Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
- A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
2nd prize winner will receive:
- US$300 worth of services from Stan Winston School, including a 3 month subscription including full access to the entire course library. Plus exclusive access to the Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
3rd prize winner will receive:
- US$100 worth of services from Stan Winston School, including a 1 month subscription including full access to the entire course library. Plus exclusive access to the Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
The Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will receive:
- $10,000 USD cash prize! Generously donated by sponsors RAYMAR, INPRNT, iCanvas, and Yasha Young Projects.
- The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
- Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
- 10 page in-depth interview editorial published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine December 2023 issue.
- Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
- Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
- Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
- 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms).
- A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
- A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
So without further ado we are proud to announce the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Finalists of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize…
Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Finalists
2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize
“Eidolon IV” (Picasso Marble)
“Soft” (Mixed media sculpture- fabric, polymer and epoxy clays, faux vintage & new flowers, rhinestones, etc on vintage metal base)
“Almare” (Composite, resins)
“LOVESONG” (Polymer clay, wire, acrylics)
“Metamorphosis” (Resin, mineral pigments, whitewash, acrylic paint, copper foil)
“The Virgin Shrimp” (Japanese air-dry clay, kozo tissue, acrylic gel, paints & inks. Epoxy clay, brass rod & stainless steel wire armature)
“CORALINA” (Resin)
“TEDDYGUNS” (Resin plastic guns)
“REFLECTION” (Bronze patinated)
“Solamente Una Vez” (Air-dry paper clay, air-dry polymer clay, Apoxie sculpt, wire, mesh, acrylic gouache, watercolour)
“Bubblegum” (Mixed media: polymer, acrylic, wool, wood)
“Light of the Moon” (Bronze)
“Deer, Osseus Spiritus” (Cold porcelain and wire)
“Anointed” (Bronze)
“Feral Etiquette” (Hand embroidered and stained feed sack from her grandparents farm mended with vintage tapestry, vintage tea cup broken into pieces and stained for teeth, vintage vestment, vintage tea cup and saucer, antique remains unearthed from my old house, foam fiber, glass eyes, antler, wax, paint)
“The Swimmer” (Carved Basswood, mounted on Black Walnut)
“Crouched” (Artificial Stone)
“Fox” (Aluminium wires)
“Icon” (Metal and clay)
“Dove Dreams of Flying” (Fired clay, acrylic)
“Khrysallis” (Porcelain and oil)
“Hand Stand Man” (Polylactic acid (PLA), G/flex epoxy, acrylic paint, cement)
“Dead Fairy” (Latex, PLA, hair from sheep, pigment, acrylic colours, watercolours, ink and glue)
“Under Water” (Polymer clay, acrylic paint, butterfly, blown bubbles glass, globe glass and wooden base)
“Altar” (Digital media, sculpted paper, shadowbox frame)