MA Alumna Finalist in Asian Art Prize

We are delighted to announce that Saba Qizilbash, MA '04, is a finalist for the 2017 Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

Held annually, the Sovereign Asian Art Prize invites mid-career contemporary artists, who have been nominated by our carefully selected board of art experts, to enter up to three artworks online. Entries are then judged by a small judging panel consisting of independent art experts and professionals from the region, who select the best 30 artworks from a range of digital images. These 30 pieces are then exhibited in a prominent public space in Hong Kong, where the pieces are judged a second time, in person.

The first prize winner is revealed at the annual sell-out Gala Dinner in Hong Kong, and not only do they receive the coveted award but also US$30,000. With the exception of the winning entry, which then becomes the property of the Foundation and is used to further its charitable work, all art works are auctioned to the public during the gala dinner. The announcement of the Public Prize Winner – and winner of US$1,000 – is also made at this dinner. The Public Prize (or Schoeni Prize) is awarded to the piece which receives the most votes from those who attend the exhibition or who cast a vote through the Foundation’s online voting app.

Saba Qizilbash, 2017 Intra-Asia, Graphite and acrylic on watercolor board, 152cm x 38cm

The proceeds of the auction are split between the artist and the Foundation. In this way, the artist receives the same split as they would through a gallery, except the artwork tends to fetch a higher price thanks to generous bidding from our charity patrons. The auctions have typically acted as a spring board for finalists, enabling many mid-career artists to achieve record prices, great publicity and establish a wider following. Notable successes have included Debbie Han, Simon Birch, Jeongmee Yoon, Adrian Wong, Rashid Rana, Qi Zhi Long and Haris Purnomo, among others.