Last week, we announced the three winners for The 2021 Sovereign Asian Art Prize. The prizes on offer included the Public Vote Prize (USD1,000), the Vogue Hong Kong Women’s Art Prize (USD5,000), and the coveted Grand Prize (USD30,000). Read on to meet our winners, hear their thoughts on their wins, and watch our video award presentations.

Li Binyuan | China
Tilted Portrait

Having received the highest score from our panel of judges, Li takes home the Grand Prize of USD30,000 for his work Tilted Portrait (pictured above). A self-portrait, the work captures Li’s spiritual quest for his ‘missing limb’ in nature – hoping to support himself for a better life. Stood tilted in this ancient tree, Li believes he has finally found an adequate prosthesis. Nominated by friend, and long-time nominator Li Zhenhua, Li is the second Chinese artist to receive the top award in the Prize’s history.

David Elliott, writer, curator, museum director, and Chair Judge, virtually presents Li with his award and interviews him about his practice, winning work, and exciting (if not slightly dangerous) future projects.

Click here to watch

When asked about his victory, Li said:

“It is my great honour to be named as the winner of The 2021 Sovereign Asian Art Prize. I would love to express my sincere appreciation to The Sovereign Art Foundation for this wonderful opportunity; and I also want to give my biggest thanks to the judging panel for the recognition of my work ‘Titled Portrait’. It’s always delightful to see people devote their time, energy, and knowledge into promoting and supporting the growth of contemporary art. It is even more meaningful to witness the work The Sovereign Art Foundation is doing, in both supporting artists and providing therapeutic artistic benefits to disadvantaged children. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this event, giving me so much hope and excitement to see what contemporary art has in store for the future.”

Rithika Merchant | India
Saudade

As the female artist with the highest score from our panel of judges, Rithika has been named the winner of the Vogue Hong Kong Women’s Art Prize. In it’s third year, The Prize was established to further empower female artists working in the region. Rithika received the award for her work, Saudade (pictured below) – a commentary on humankind’s destructive relationship with nature. Rendered using mythological symbols, the artist looks to a more primordial time for answers. Nominated by curator Kriti Sood, Rithika is the second Indian artist to win an award in The Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

Ahy Choi, Managing Editor for Vogue Hong Kong, virtually presents Rithika with her award and asks her about her winning work, previous fashion collaborations, and the future for women in art.

Click here to watch

When asked about her victory, Rithika said:

“Thank you to The Sovereign Art Foundation for this tremendous honour, and to Kriti Sood for nominating me. I am truly delighted to be selected as the winner of the Vogue Hong Kong Women’s Art Prize, especially from this field of exceptional artists who have my full admiration. Art has the power to inspire, excite and engage; beyond this, it has the power to give us strength and impart meaning as we navigate our world. In a year that has been a difficult one for so many people, I feel especially grateful to be an artist and I’m humbled to be recognised for my work. ”

Imtiaj Rasel | Bangladesh
Journey by Bus

As the artist with the most votes from the public, Imtiaj has earned himself the Public Vote Prize this year. The award was first established to give the public an opportunity to further engage with the shortlisted work, and have their say. Imtiaj received the award for his work, Journey by Bus (pictured below) – a collection of portraits painted in-situ, collated to form a bustling scene on a public bus.  Nominated by artist Tayeba Begum Lipi, Imtiaj is the first ever Bangladeshi artist to win an award in The Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

Howard Bilton, Chairman of The Sovereign Art Foundation, virtually presents Imtiaj with his award. They discuss the winning work, future projects, and the sky-rocketing popularity of his art.

Click here to watch

When asked about his victory, Imtiaj said:

“I am thrilled to express my feelings on such a momentous occasion in my life. I don’t have the right words but I am extremely honoured to be receiving such a prestigious award, The Public Vote Prize. I am grateful for the recognition I have received for my work, because I am very sure that every other nominee for this award was as capable, if not more, of winning this prize. I am very thankful to artist Tayeba Begum Lipi for nominating me and helping me to create this memory of a lifetime. I would also like to thank everyone who supported me, from fellow artists and the art fraternity to my countrymen who voted for me. This prize will serve as a big inspiration for my future path. Thank you SAF for making this happen. I hope the wheels of this ‘Journey by Bus’ will travel more.”

Thank you to everyone to all their support during The 2021 Sovereign Asian Art Prize.

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