THE 7TH JOHN RUSKIN EXHIBITION

“From the eye to the hand”

Visual literacy charity The Big Draw, together with the Prize founders and sponsors, The Guild of St George, announced the shortlist for The 7th John Ruskin Prize.

Selected from nearly 3000 entries, the shortlist, which called for artists to explore the theme ‘From the Eye to the Hand’ will be exhibited in January 2025 at Trinity Buoy Wharf. A total of 87 works by 85 artists, makers and innovators were selected by Andrew Nairne OBE: Director, Kettles Yard, Prof Anita Taylor: Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design at the University of Dundee, Charles.O.Job: Architect and designer, Nichola Johnson OBE FSA: a Director of the Guild of St George, Emma Stibbon RA: Artist & Royal Academician.

The 7th John Ruskin Prize exhibition, “From the Eye to the Hand”, will open to the public at

  • The Buoy Store, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London E14 0JW

  • Thursday 16th January to Sunday 2nd February 2025

  • 11am and 6pm each day. Free entry

A fully illustrated publication and public engagement programme will accompany the exhibition. Visit Trinity Buoy Wharf website for detailed venue directions.

WINNERS

The following awards will be announced at the Exhibition Preview & Awards Announcement on Wednesday January 15th:

  • 1st Prize: £3000 (made possible by the Guild of St George)

  • 2nd Prize: £2000 (made possible by the Guild of St George))

  • The Alan Davidson Under 26 Prize: £1000

  • The International Prize: £1000

  • Innovation Prize: £500

Shortlisted artists 2025

William Alexander, Viv Allen, Steven Anderson, David Atkinson, Andrew Baldwin, Sally Baldwin, Jeanette Barnes, Kate Birss, Chris Blackburn, Vera Boele-Keimer, Sarah Bold, Duncan Brown, Chris Bruce, Kurt Buckley, Duncan Bullen, Lesley Bunch, Diana Burch, Caroline Burraway, Eric Butcher, Hermione Carline, Romaya Carole, Sarah Casey, David Cass, Francesca Centioni, Jack Clare, Victoria Clare Bernie, Julia Complin, David Connearn, Katy Cook, Emma Coop, Cicely Creswell, Aleksandra Czuja, Gerry Davies, Bryn Davies, Sarah Duncan, Hanfei Dyson, Angela Eames, Elisha Enfield, Miriam Escofet, Michael Geddis, Alice Goehrs, Melanie Goemans, Emilia Gonzalez, Arina Gordienko, Nick Grellier, Lydia Halcrow, Paul Hart, Julie Heaton, Sara Heywood, Harriet Hill, Meg Huby, Jo Israel, Owen Johnson, Oli Kellett, Joanne Lamb, Anthony Lau, CJ Lim, Madeleine Lohrum Strancari, Imogen Long, Karen Lorenz, Hannah MacCaig, Shona Macdonald, Ian Malhotra, Siobhan Martin, Lyndsay Martin, Carali McCall, Rosemarie McGoldrick, Myrna Mitchell, James Moore, David Mumby, Jenene Nagy, Hormazd Narielwalla, Robyn Neild, Nancy Nightingale, Eamon O'Kane, Samuel Owusu Achiaw, Tim Parry-Williams, Julie Pereira, Catherine Pink, Kathryn Poole, Klaudyna Rajchel, Sandra Richard, Jin Suk Kim, Laura White, and Pippa Young

Image: Samuel Owusu Achiaw, Citrus in Manibus

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

Every year, the vital support of The John Ruskin Prize generous founders and supporters means that selected winners receive significant prize money to help them further their practice. In addition, all Prize finalists benefit from exhibiting and selling their work to a wider audience at a major UK venue.  

Prize winners and finalists have gone on to be shortlisted and win further major art prizes, instigate joint social art projects with their fellow Ruskin Prize finalists and secure residencies and scholarships both in the UK and abroad. Facilitated by The John Ruskin Prize, shortlisted works have been acquired by major public and private collections including The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Ruskin Collection and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.  

PRIZE FOUNDER & CORE SUPPORTER

The Guild of St George is an educational charity founded in the 1870s by the Victorian polymath, John Ruskin, devoted to the arts, crafts and the rural economy. It has more than 300 Companions (members) around the world who share an interest in how the values and teachings of Ruskin’s art, social and political criticism can inspire us to help make lives better, and the planet healthier, today.

The Guild founded the Campaign for Drawing in 2000, which later became the independent charity The Big Draw, and it has been a partner in the John Ruskin Prize since its inception, providing the First and Second Prize.

Learn more here.

SPONSOR OF THE UNDER 26 PRIZE

Alan Davidson (1960-2018) was an architect, artist and polymath who pioneered the introduction of architectural visualisation and founded world renowned studio Hayes Davidson. Following his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease in 2012, Alan set about planning the legacy he wished to leave behind and set up The Alan Davidson Foundation to support people living with MND and the search for a cure for MND as well as support his great passion for Architecture communication and the Arts.

Launched in 2021, The Davidson Prize is a new architectural prize rewarding innovative concepts that imaginatively rethink the design of the contemporary home.

Learn more here.

SUPPORTER & EXHIBITION VENUE, January 2025

Trinity Buoy Wharf is a place devoted to creative and arts activity on the River Thames in London's Docklands and managed by Urban Space Management Ltd. Home to London’s only Lighthouse, a vibrant creative community, a sculpture park, event venues and Container City™ Buildings.

The 7th John Ruskin Prize shortlist exhibition will be hosted at Trinity Buoy Wharf, 16 January- 2nd February 2025.

Learn more here.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Parker Harris are the project mangers of the prize, alongside overseeing ArtOpps, the art opportunity portal hosting The John Ruskin Prize call for entries. Created in 1990, Parker Harris is one of the leading visual arts consultancies in the UK facilitating exhibitions, events and opportunities for artists. Specialists in expert creation and project management of visual arts projects spanning all disciplines and all scales, Parker Harris’ clients range from trusts and foundations, SMEs and multinationals to charities, arts organisations and individual artists.

Learn more here