Julius Baer has announced the six winners of the second edition of the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize for Asia, the Group's second home market. These include Viraag Desai (India), Andre Wee (Singapore), Carla Chan (Hong Kong), Jamela Law (Hong Kong), Natalie Wong (Hong Kong), and Wan Kyn Chan (Singapore).
Each of the winners will receive $10,000 and embark on a three-month 'Art and Technology Accelerator Programme' as they develop their proposed concepts into digital artwork to be exhibited at a virtual showcase in the second half of 2023.
The Art and Technology Accelerator Programme is the first of its kind in Asia, aiming to provide access to resources and mentorship from industry experts to help artists develop their ideas and push the boundaries of digital art.
The jury comprised acclaimed artists Refik Anadol and Shubigi Rao, curator Fu LiaoLiao, Simon Fisher, art specialist Shivajirao Gaekwar, and Theresa McCullough.
Shubigi Rao commented: "There were a number of compelling proposals that depicted imaginative and optimistic futures beyond the anxieties of a post-climate age. The strongest submissions to the Julius Bear Next Generation Art Prize stood out for their sureness of purpose, poetic imagination, creative use of live feed datasets, and thoughtful engagement with the audience."
Jimmy Lee, Member of the Executive Board, Julius Baer Group Ltd and Head, Asia Pacific said: "The Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize represents our commitment to support the contemporary perspectives of next-generation artists. We aim to empower young talents who are leading the change in the digital age by providing them with crucial development, networking, and mentorship opportunities... We are excited to see how our winning artists bring their exceptional proposals to life."