Val Wecerka
Rather than one single working style, Wecerka’s practice covers an entire spectrum of topics and forms, from figurative to abstract and ornamental. The long way is also a part of this cycle, where from rows of arranged archaic or primary acronyms, like letters or a foreign script, the composition emerges.
The long way, 2015. Acrylic, cardboard, paint on canvas. 150cm x 200cm.
14 April – 29 May 2016, York St Mary’s
A platform for innovation and originality, the Aesthetica Art Prize welcomed an international community to its 2016 exhibition. To mark its 9th year, the award invited audiences to engage with some of today’s key cultural, social, political, environmental and economic themes through a selection of shortlisted works in the following categories: Photographic & Digital Art; Three Dimensional Design & Sculpture; Painting & Drawing; and Video, Installation & Performance.
From ecological concerns to transitions in urbanisation and developments in technology, the 2016 presentation instigated a cohesive commentary on the way we inhabit the earth. Questions of material and personal value align with definitions of virtual and physical realms; depictions of natural landscapes defy tangible realities; and an awareness of time is envisaged in elements of light and sound.
Incorporating the projects of 10 shortlisted artists, with a further 90 pieces displayed on monitors, the 2016 edition was the award’s largest exhibition to date and welcomed practitioners from Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, the UK and the USA. Ranging from site-specific installations to new experiments with light and digital technologies, the showcase was an inspiring example of the calibre of works submitted to the Prize.