ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS
On Thursday 5th June 2025, Gallery Directors Elinor Olisa and Isobel Beauchamp welcomed collectors, patrons, artists and their families to London's art hotel, Bankside Hotel, for the announcement of the winners of the 14th edition of the Signature Art Prize—the UK’s original art prize for student and emerging artists, founded in 2006.
Over 500 entries were received from 30 UK and international universities. After weeks of deliberation, judges narrowed submissions from a longlist of 90 to 20 Finalists. In addition, 4 Director’s Picks and 4 People’s Choice artists were selected, resulting in 28 exhibiting artists, from which 4 overall winners were chosen. A special ‘FujiPick’ was also selected by category sponsor Fujifilm.
Thank you to all the artists, judges, sponsors, and supporters who make this prize possible and who continue to shape the future of contemporary art.
All exhibiting works remain on show until early September.
Selected winners and finalists will also exhibit at RSA House, and receive prizes including workshops, art materials, professional support and gallery representation. All finalists received a gift from Derwent Art Supplies.
MEET THE WINNERS
Painting Category
Ken Nwadiogbu – Game of Life
90 × 90 × 3 cm | Oil and Acrylic on Akwete fabric
"In Game of Life, I explore the unpredictability and strategy inherent in existence. The composition centers on a celestial figure leaning over a pool table, about to make a decisive move. I was inspired by the divine and the power of self. The eyes, expressive and intense, suggests an omniscient presence, as if they see beyond the immediate moment and are very aware of the broader implications of every action. The wings symbolize both freedom and burden while the billiard balls, absent but present, symbolize the unpredictability of outcomes, echoing themes of chance and consequence. At its core, Game of Life is a reflection on agency. It reminds us of how much control we truly have over our destiny. Are we merely players in a grand cosmic game, or do our choices carve out our path? Through this work, I invite us to engage with these existential questions, prompting us to reconsider how we navigate our own game of life."
Photography + Film Category
Zach Rataski – The Heart of the Pit
60 × 60 × 0.1 cm | Digital Photography
"The journey from unpaid gigs and constant travel to becoming a commissioned artist has greatly influenced the approach to work, shaping a deeper understanding of the value of time and creativity. It has also refined the way client interactions are handled, ensuring a more intentional and thoughtful response. While capturing these photos, there was a strong focus on experimentation—exploring different perspectives and developing a distinct, personal style. This particular shot was taken with a Sony A7R II and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, bringing the moment to life exactly as envisioned."
Sculpture Category
Danning Xie – Apparel Figure: Frances Howard, Countess of Kildare
54 × 54 × 19 cm | Ceramic & textile
"This series transforms Tudor-era (1485-1603) female portraits into ceramic vases, reimagining their elaborate garments as vessels and using textiles or rubber balls to symbolise the female body. The work reflects how noblewomen of that era used clothing and jewellery to showcase wealth and status, suggesting that personal choices within this societal trend may have involved a form of self-objectification. By converting these 2D images into 3D objects, I further explore the concept of 'objectification.'"
Drawing + Printmaking Category
Kanmi Olukanni – Me, Myself and I
100 × 140 × 1 cm | Charcoal & Graphite
"This piece is a self-portrait, this one is very personal as it illustrates a conflict between myself and decisions I have made and yet to make. The middle is seen as the main 'me', with the good and the bad on either side influencing my decisions. It essentially portrays that only YOU are in control of your future. There will always be external influences, but decisions made and are yet to be made are down to a mental battle with yourself."
The People’s Choice Winner
Adam James Rogerson – Dogs
175 × 145 × 10 cm | Oil on Linen
"'Dogs' is a large-scale work created by Rogerson in 2024 as part of a broader series of ruminations on society, class and the human condition. In his application of the paint, Rogerson focusses on the history of painting with an everpresent focus on the objecthood of the resulting work."
Runners-Up
Sculpture: Adil Ghani – Bones Series - Inhumane
Photography + Film: Sebastián Rodríguez De Castro – Impending Doom and the Memory We’re Becoming
Drawing + Printmaking: Emmanuel Ugwu Odinaka – Nostalgia
This portrait, from the series All About Love, explores how love involves both connection and distance. A hand covering one eye symbolises our partial perception of others—shaped by what is shown, chosen, or hidden—while the urban setting evokes the tension between presence and absence, clarity and obscurity.
THE FUJIFILM PICK
Kindred Spirits (Marianna Slawinska) – Unseen
59.3 × 59.4 × 1 cm | C-Type Print
"At FUJIFILM, we believe in empowering photographers to share their unique perspectives with the world. Our mission is to celebrate and support those who are brave enough to share life as they see it.
Marianna's passion for documenting the everyday, combined with her thoughtful approach to getting to know her subjects, exemplifies this perfectly.
This image is not just a reflection of her vision, but also a testament to the power of photography to bring us closer to understanding the world and the people around us." Lauren Drage, Marketing Manager at Fujifilm Electronic Imaging UK
MEET THE FINALISTS
Drawing + Printmaking Finalists
Caijing Kuang – Hello? Are You There? – £2,500 (Director's Pick)
Caroline Cornelius – Smoking and Eating – £1,000
Jing He – Guhuo Birds – £1,500
Katie Opländer – Isometric Playground – £1,800
Painting Finalists
Holly Isabelle Hinchliffe – The Sun's Still Out | (Director's Pick)
MK Thomsonnder – Aporia 1 )
Mia Takemoto – Daruma
Bessie Frances Kirkham – Big Blue Self-Portrait
Amelia Jane Lovell – Grandmother
Photography + Film Finalists (Sponsored by Fujifilm)
Rosie Gunning – Dinner Parties Throughout Time – £1,300 (Director’s Pick)
Aarony Bailey – Her Hand, His Neck – £800
Estela García – Soft Nude – £1,800
Lewis Gant – Richard + Amy – £1,965
Sculpture Finalists
Zilah Puri – Vitality Woman Series – £1,200 each (Director’s Pick)
Bahareh Khomeiry – Trapped and Breaking Free – £1,800
Holly Jones – The Commute – £6,000
Hyunju Roh – Metamorphosis – £3,000
Megan Kenyatta Whi – After Party – £900
MEET THE JUDGES
Lady Carol Aldridge – Aldridge Foundation Trustee
Marcia Morgan – Interior Designer and Stylist
Hannah De Rozario – Head of House Curation, The RSA
Siobhan Bell – Private Collector, Head of Bids at Bell Group
Philip Steiner – COO, Cycas Hospitality
Joshua Donkor – Artist, former SAP winner
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTORS
“The prize is as much about the journey as the work itself. Many applicants submit to their first major competition with us, and it's a privilege to support their early steps.”
— Elinor Olisa, Gallery Director
“The 2025 prize presented a dynamic and supportive environment for emerging artists, helping them showcase work, connect, and grow professionally.”
— Isobel Beauchamp, Gallery Director
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Thank you to Bankside Hotel, Fujifilm, Derwent, The RSA, Arteum, Tagsmart, and all our valued partners for enabling us to celebrate and support new creative voices.
COLLECTING ENQUIRIES
For all acquisition and representation enquiries, contact:
Isobel Beauchamp – Isobel@DegreeArt.com | 07708 251 687