Winner: Hanna Terefe
School: Kensington Aldridge Academy 
Title: ‘Liza Mahu’ by
Description:
I created this piece in the summer of 2020, amidst the uproar and outrage of George Floyd's death, which sparked protests globally.

During the London protests, I noticed how many people responded to the outcry of the BAME community by simply ignoring anddismissing the very real issue of racism and discrimination within the UK. Upon further research, I was shocked to find that the current prime minister, Boris Johnson, stated that the UK is not a "racist country" in an inquiry into racial inequality, and even used the word "thuggery" to describe the protesters. This mindset, which has infiltrated the UK, is not only problematic as it completely dismisses the experiences and trauma of the BAME community, but without being able to acknowledge a problem, it is impossible to solve it. I wanted to create a piece which drew light to how black and mixed ethnic citizens of the UK were ignored, uncared for and treated as second hand citizens. However, instead of perpetuating the same, disheartening message I instead wanted to highlight the beauty and ethereal nature of BAME people, by celebrating our uniqueness, resilience and excellence. I called the piece 'Liza Mahu' after the African Sun God - Mahu and Liza, who are the twin children of Nana Buluku. The twins express the balance between earth and sky as Mahu is the female (earth, moon, fertility) and Liza is the male (sun, sky, power). I tried to represent these ethereal qualities with the gold circle which encompasses the girl in the painting. It represents, sunlight, hope and serenity.

I chose this painting as my Signature Art Piece as I feel it best represents my skill- set and what I try to achieve through my art. I use art as a tool of articulating ideas and feelings that cannot be put into words. I feel as though this piece not only expresses my personal views and opinions , but also highlights an issue which is both personal to me and also very relevant in today's society.

Winner: Rodney Stewart Cocha Guerra
School: Dukes Aldridge Academy
Title: An End of An Era
Description:
This piece started off as a simple doodle in class, I later on refined it and digitised it on Adobe Illustrator.

This is my signature art piece because I believe that this artwork will be accepted in todays era of pop art, as it is relevant to certain people's views of what they think of technology nowadays, and how they reminisce of old times.

Winner: Lauren Terry
School: Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Title: The Skin of Our Lives
Description:
Age is something we cannot prevent nor alter. We are constantly changing, whether it be physically or mentally. In this image I not only wanted to show the effects that time and ageing can have on one person but also the beauty that it holds. Our eyes tell so many different stories; what we have seen throughout our lives. This image is close to my heart because the person in the photograph is my 91 year old Nana. Her life has been full of twists and turns, living through a war and working day and night to provide for her family. All of this is shown in her worn skin. Each detail creates an image of her past and how ageing has changed her physically.

This is my Signature Art Piece because instead of using a stranger as my model, I have used my own family. This has given me a better opportunity to create my main aim of the piece.

Winner: Mai Yu
School: Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Title: Fragile Nature
Description:
This piece was an accumulation of thoughts about nature and how fragile it is. It is a well-known fact that if we do not start to take

responsibility for looking after this planet, then we are going to destroy it. Honeybees are so small and seemingly insignificant; however,

they play a role in every aspect of the ecosystem. They support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants, which serve as food and

shelter for many other creatures.

I wanted to replicate the structure of the beehive to reflect the fragility of the current situation for bees. I chose to make the 3D honeycomb shapes out of fabric to represent their fragility, but also their strength and determination to survive.

This is my Signature Art Textiles Piece because it represents myself as well as the honeybees' fragile state. We can all be vulnerable but the honeybee, like all bees (including the Manchester Bee), reminds us that we can survive through hard work and determination.