Eighth Annual Award Ceremony In China#
Award-winners on stage at the ceremony (Image: Hexun)
This past weekend, the French cognac maker Martell held its eighth annual "Martell Artists of the Year" awards at the Shanghai Art Museum, celebrating the work of five internationally renowned artists: conceptual sculptor Sui Jianguo (best-known for his "Legacy Mantle" series), painter Li Songsong (who currently has a solo exhibition showing at New York's Pace Gallery), photographer Hai Bo, and fashion and portrait photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Since launching its Artists of the Year awards in 2004, Martell has handed out awards to many of China's top painters, photographers and filmmakers, including Zhou Chunya, Jia Zhangke, and Liu Ye. Progressing from a way to get involved with the country's burgeoning art world nearly eight years ago into one of China's more respected arts award ceremonies, the Artists of the Year awards also include a traveling exhibition (which recently hit Beijing's Today Art Museum). After wrapping up in Shanghai later this month, the exhibition will visit the Guangdong Museum of Art in August.
The exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum (Image: Hexun)
The exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum (Image: Hexun)
The exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum (Image: Hexun)
Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (Image: Hexun)
The exhibition at the Shanghai Art Museum (Image: Hexun)