BECK´S FUTURES 2006

Beck’s and the ICA are delighted to announce that the winner of BECK’S FUTURES 2006 is MATT STOKES, whose beautifully crafted, mesmerising film, Long After Tonight has won him the £20,000 prize.

MATT STOKES was presented with his award by two of this year’s eminent judging panel MARTIN CREED AND GILLIAN WEARING at a special gala event at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts on the evening of 2 MAY 2006.

Long After Tonight (2005) is a 16mm film which documents a specially constructed Northern Soul event staged in St Salvador’s Church, Dundee - the venue for some of the city’s first ‘Northern Soul’ nights.

MATT STOKES was born in 1973 in Cornwall and was educated at Newcastle University. His solo exhibitions include Roll-in’ Along (Manchester, 2000), Collective Gallery, (2006). His group exhibitions include Our Surroundings (Dundee Contemporary Arts, Scotland, 2005), Everything Must Go (Workplace Gallery, Gateshead, 2005), Romantic Attachment (PS1, New York and Chapter Gallery, Wales, 2004).

BECK'S FUTURES 2006

As the award moves into its seventh year, the ICA and Beck’s Bier are collaborating with the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow and the Arnolfini in Bristol on an ambitious nationwide exhibition. Beck’s Futures 2006 promises an insight into the wide variety of art being made in the UK — from drawing and painting, to installation, performance, photography, sculpture and audio-visual work.

This year’s exhibition will run concurrently at the ICA, the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow (opening on 8 April 2006 at 73 Trongate, Glasgow) and the Arnolfini in Bristol (opening on 13 April 2006 at Porthouse, Bristol).

The 13 short listed artists are: Blood ‘n’ Feathers (Jo Robertson and Lucy Stein), Pablo Bronstein, Stefan Brüggemann, Richard Hughes, Flávia Müller Medeiros, Seb Patane, Olivia Plender, Simon Popper, Jamie Shovlin, Daniel Sinsel, Matt Stokes, Sue Tompkins and Bedwyr Williams.

Works by those on the shortlist include Bedwyr Williams’ footwear-swapping piece for gallery visitors, referring to his struggles to find large enough shoes; Simon Popper’s reinterpretation of James Joyce’s Ulysses with the words printed alphabetically; Blood ‘n’ Feathers’ luscious paintings which seek to investigate Rock and Roll mythology; Stefan Brüggemann’s text piece of over 700 possible exhibition titles, an offer to the curators of all three Beck’s Futures exhibitions to choose a ready-made title; Jamie Shovlin’s assemblage of memorabilia of the rock band Lustfaust, part of the experimental music scene of 1970s Berlin; Flávia Müller Medeiros’ video work, Inaugurate (2005), which marries found footage from the film Easy Rider to a recording of George Bush’s second inauguration speech read by an actor in the style of an American car salesman; and Olivia Plender’s comic book for adults inspired by manga, 1950’s advertising illustrations, pulp fiction book jackets, horror film posters and 19th-century spirit photography.

Beck’s Futures gives a £20,000 overall award to one artist from the shortlist. This year a public vote will enable visitors to participate in the selection of the award-winner. You will be able to register your views — alongside those of judges Jake and Dinos Chapman, Martin Creed, Cornelia Parker, Yinka Shonibare MBE and Gillian Wearing — at any of the participating venues, or online at www.becksfutures.co.uk

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Beck’s Futures was established in 2000 as an annual exhibition and award to provide a platform for the support for the work of young and emerging UK based artists. Now in its seventh year, Beck’s Futures has expanded the platform and will, in collaboration with the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow and the Arnolfini, Bristol present three exhibitions of the work of all the participating artists at the three institutions concurrently. This year’s participants were selected by the artists Jake & Dinos Chapman, Martin Creed, Cornelia Parker, Yinka Shonibare and Gillian Wearing.

THE EXHIBITION INCLUDES: Blood ‘n’ Feathers’ luscious, exuberant paintings which explore constructs of femininity; Stefan Brüggemann’s Show Titles (2000 ongoing), a text piece of over 700 possible exhibition titles, from which the curators were invited to select one for each venue; Pablo Bronstein’s architectural interventions; Flávia Müller Medeiros’ video work, Inaugurate (2005) which marries found footage from the film Easy Rider to a recording of George Bush’s second inauguration speech read by an actor in the style of an American car salesman; a new work by Richard Hughes which recreates a suburban village green, complete with bus stop; Seb Patane’s mixed media installation, Absolute Körperkontrolle (DATE), which re-contextualises turn-of-the-century images of mountaineers and marathon dancers; Olivia Plender’s comic book inspired by 1950s advertising illustrations, pulp fiction book jackets, horror film posters and 19th-centu ry spirit photography. Simon Popper’s personal exploration and reworking of James Joyce’s Ulysses with the text ordered alphabetically; Jamie Shovlin’s memorabilia assemblage of the legendary rock band Lustfaust, part of 1970s Berlin experimental music scene; a selection of Daniel Sinsel’s bold, visceral paintings, which often incorporate material objects; Long after tonight (DATE), a 16mm film recreating a classic Northern Soul night in a gothic revivalist church by Matt Stokes; Sue Tompkins’ carefully constructed and delicate wall based works and Bedwyr Williams’ humorous invitation Walk a mile in my shoes (2006) an installation born from his struggles to find large enough shoes for his size 13 feet.

In addition to the works in the galleries a presentation of live performance by the participating artists, ranging from the musical to the comedic through the poetic, will take place at the ICA on 22 April 2006.

The winner of BECK’S FUTURES 2006 will be announced on 2 May 2006 and presented with an award of £20,000. The remaining artists will share a fund of £18,000.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Blood ‘n’ Feathers (Jo Robertson & Lucy Stein), Pablo Bronstein, Stefan Brüggemann, Richard Hughes, Flávia Müller Medeiros, Seb Patane, Olivia Plender, Simon Popper, Jamie Shovlin, Daniel Sinsel, Matt Stokes, Sue Tompkins and Bedwyr Williams

BECK’S FUTURES 2006 is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue is available from the ICA bookshop.

Pressetext

BECK’S FUTURES 2006

Preisträger: Matt Stokes

shortlisted: Blood n Feathers (Jo Robertson & Lucy Stein), Pablo Bronstein, Stefan Brüggemann, Richard Hughes, Flavia Muller Medeiros, Seb Patane, Olivia Plender, Simon Popper, Jamie Shovlin, Daniel Sinsel, Matt Stokes, Sue Tompkins, Bedwyr Williams

Beck´s Futures
13.04.06 - 14.05.06 BECK´S FUTURES 2006 Arnolfini, Bristol
08.04.06 - 14.05.06 BECK´S FUTURES 2006 Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow
31.03.06 - 14.05.06 BECK´S FUTURES 2006 ICA London
28.05.05 - 07.2005 BECK´S FUTURES 2005 Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow
18.03.05 - 15.05.05 BECK´S FUTURES 2005 ICA London
12.06.04 - 25.07.04 BECK´S FUTURES 2004 Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow
26.03.04 - 16.05.04 BECK´S FUTURES 2004 ICA London
07.06.03 - 27.07.03 BECK´S FUTURES 2003 Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow
05.04.03 - 18.05.03 BECK´S FUTURES 2003 ICA London

www.becksfutures.co.uk