UK Artist Collaboration
In 2023, Audible launched the UK Artist Collaboration to spotlight emerging and underrepresented artists, celebrating their exceptional creativity and cultivating an environment that embraces diversity and artists from all backgrounds.
Watch the story of the UK Artist Collaboration.
The UK Artist Collaboration introduced the Visible Artist Award, a free-to-enter competition to celebrate rising UK artistic talent. One winning piece and four runners-up were selected to split a cash prize, and those artists, along with five shortlisted entries, were featured in a London exhibition. Selected artists include Huss Aya, Chuwie Gene, Sabrina Tirvengadum, Lawrence Meju, Alexander Soskin, Chukwuemeka Nwaeme, Hao Wang, Rukayat Ayokunmi Rasaki, We Are Raya and Alexandra Moskalenko.
Winner | Huss Aya
And the Flowers Have time for Me (2021)
In 2017, Sarah Hegazi was arrested for raising a Pride flag at a concert in Cairo, Egypt. After being arrested for “spreading homosexuality,” she was tortured and defamed widely. Though Sarah fled to Canada, the trauma still haunted her and in June 2020 she committed suicide. This piece is inspired by Sarah's very last words: "The sky is more beautiful than earth, and I want the sky, not the earth.” It aims to create the perfect world Sarah Hegazi envisioned for queer Arabs—however, there is a sense of struggle and anxiety, as we still have a long way to go. This piece stands in solidarity with every queer Arab that is oppressed or censored, and urges everyone to speak up for us.
Runners Up
To Be a Woman
Chewie Gene
In my culture, appearance and demeanour reflects class and upbringing. A woman should appear gentle, feminine and pretty. Traditional views of femininity have been somewhat forced into my mind, limiting my personal development. Is being a woman in the 20th century limited to conventions of the status quo? A woman emerges from a flower, and upon closer inspection, there is a collage of traditional Chinese characters from a song my mother enjoys. The message behind it encourages one to be true to themselves. Those words are embedded in my skin, like a mantra, challenging the construct of traditional womanhood.
If We Were Marrier d’Unienville
Sabrina Tirvengadum (in collaboration with Mark Allred)
This work serves as a tribute to my great-grandmother and explores my Mauritian family history within the context of the Indian indenture system. I discovered my great-grandmother's role as a maid for the Marrier d'Unienville family and the presence of the French aristocratic lineage in her DNA. Through the use of archival photos, AI-generated imagery, and digital painting, the artwork delves into the intricate process of unravelling and understanding my family's past.
Flower Duet
Lawrence Meju
This artwork represents how individuals explore different facets of themselves through their relationships with others. The tender intimacy of two lovers is captured as they exchange and complement parts of themselves, yet I believe that its message extends beyond romantic love to encompass all types of human relationships. This is from a larger body of work, ‘Extranormal Portraits,’ which has to do with breaking down the human form into simple, pure forms, as well as portraying subjects in surreal, intimate and meditative spaces. It is a playful approach to portraiture.
Where is My Mind?
Alexander Soskin
An unearthly, godlike vision is depicted on the top floor of an office skyscraper. Resplendent in an over-the-top costume that cascades expletive symbols, this divine apparition is telling us to “Wake up!” Office workers are trapped in mind-numbing corporate culture. Outside, a giant squid’s long tentacles connect to the entire city, symbolizing mass culture.
Shortlisted
Thoughts in the Deep
Chukemeka Nwaeme
A solitary woman examines the complex world of human ideas and feelings, her isolation a metaphor for the lonely nature of reflection. The vivid colours create a feeling of vigour and dynamism and capture the variety of our thoughts and feelings, our inner experiences. This artwork urges viewers to go on an internal voyage, to consider the spectrum of ideas and emotions we possess and to acknowledge the transforming potential of self-examination. I hope that by interacting with this artwork, viewers are motivated to think about their own experiences, face their darkest fears, and finally set out on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
Good Old Days
Rasaki Rukymat
There's a Yoruba saying: "People are like the flow of the river; they come and go.” We all long for the presence of a loved one, an experience, memory, or feeling. For as long as I can remember, I have struggled to show emotions around people. Lately, I find myself recalling moments of listening to Baba Tomolasho's journey to the great hub of Japan, and his escapades as a legal consultant in Nigeria, when he retells every story in fluent English. These memories lead me to a moment of awareness, and I wonder if I am on the path to being remembered for a great life, or one full of regrets.
Raya at Home
We Are Raya
Raya at Home is a celebration of our experiences as Filipinos born in London. This illustration captures how both cultures play a role in defining our identities. We’ve used colour and mixed media as a means to mirror the blend of Filipino heritage and British influences, from the food we eat to the entertainment we consume. Our goal was to also depict London as more than just landmarks, but a landscape of housing filled with Londoners from all walks of life. As the Raya bunny is a reflection of us and our brand, this illustration portrays where we come from and how that has informed our creative practice today.
Hurting
Hao Wang
When I first tasted the green mango, it was an amazing experience: sour, sweet, spicy, a complex flavour that built my impression of it. To a certain extent, the green mango refers to human beings, which are as complicated as the green mango, in my perception. It indicates a kind of feeling of disgust with the self, a hatred of one’s fragile and sensitive character. That is why I painted the scene as a “murdering” of the mango. Through the colour suggestion, the one doing the hurting and the victim are one and the same.
Citizen of the World
Alexandra Moskalenko
The stripes symbolise all the personality facets, sociocultural backgrounds and life experiences that make an individual. The painting is an invitation to not judge a book by its cover when meeting someone for the first time. The African wax in the background is a metaphor for the fabric of society. Humans first evolved in Africa, and much of human evolution occurred on that continent—the fossils of early humans who lived millions of years ago come entirely from Africa. All human beings come from the same place, the same few original tribes. In other words, we are all One; we are all the original “Citizen of the World.”
The UK Artist Collaboration also worked with Accumulate Art School for the Homeless and the UK’s National Literacy Trust, who collaborated with acclaimed artists Lakwena Maciver and David Shillinglaw to create captivating artworks for Audible’s London hub that inspire thought-provoking conversations and foster inclusivity within the art world.
Maciver collaborated with Accumulate Art School for the Homeless to lead a workshop with young people experiencing homelessness, incorporating their artworks, along with words and phrases from their discussions, into her piece.
All My Life I Will Carry You
Lakwena x Accumulate, the Art School for the Homeless
The workshop we conducted with the Accumulate Art School for the homeless was a beautiful time of sharing and openness for all of us, both humbling and inspiring. One of the statements that arose out of our conversation was, “All my life, I’ll carry you”. Drawing from the vibrant palette of colours provided to the group, referencing elements of the individual artworks they made, and weaving together the stories and words shared by the workshop participants, my hope was to create a piece that would transcend individual experiences and resonate universally.
David Shillinglaw collaborated with the National Literacy Trust, leading a poetry workshop with men in custody at Grendon Prison and incorporating their poems into his piece.
The Colour of Words
David Shillinglaw x National Literacy Trust + HMP Grendon
From the moment I arrived at Grendon I was confronted with a room of eager, interested men, full of gratitude; we all wanted to be there. We talked about Dylan Thomas, Jack Kerouac, haikus and rhyming slang. Poetry and art celebrate failure and fallibility: there are no right or wrong answers, just different ways to ask questions. This project reminded me of the power of words to describe, share and process the personal and the universal. I feel honoured to have been part of this, giving images and colour to such a diverse and open group of human voices.
