Justin Hammond
http://www.artcatlin.com/
Justin Hammond is an art dealer, curator, writer and publisher. In 2007 he devised the Catlin Art Prize, an annual showcase for the most talented new artists in the UK and later went on to compile The Catlin Guide, recognised as the essential reference for collectors of emerging artists. In 2010 he published An Unspoken Arrangement to coincide with Alex Ball's debut solo exhibition and was behind the now infamous Whose Coat is that Jacket You're Wearing?, held in a disused tailor's shop during Frieze. He has recently completed The Catlin Guide 2012.
The Catlin Guide 2012: New Artists in the UK The Catlin Guide 2012: New Artists in the UK launched on the evening of January 17th at Art Projects, part of the annual London Art Fair. Once again presented in a rather luxurious slipcase and deigned by the guys at YES, this third edition mirrors its predecessors by profiling 40 of the most promising new graduates from art schools across the country. The book is an elegant object in its own right and is fast becoming a collector's item. The first volume has sold out and is changing hands at inflated prices on eBay, while just a handful of the 2011 edition remaining. Q. What was you initial inspiration behind the initiative? A. I was running a gallery in Hackney, working with artists straight out of college. Invariably, the same scenario would play out; the first 2 or 3 months after graduation would be a breeze – artists would be swamped with exhibition opportunities – but slowly that would peter out and without the infrastructure of college, some found it difficult to sustain their practice. That was partly how the Catlin Art Prize came about. It's a second opportunity for artists to showcase their work 12 months on from graduation. I ask them to develop a new body of work....it's never just a case of chucking together another 'best of' show. The Catlin Guide extends that support to 40 new graduates by detailing their future projects and aspirations for the coming year. It's very much about looking forward and supporting new artists at a crucial time.
Foe-me by Davide Maione (Gelatin silver print)
Q. How did the insurance group Catlin come to be involved? A. Catlin sponsored the first prize in 2007 and the relationship has evolved from there.We set up Art Catlin to encompass the prize and the book. Q. How does the selection process work? A. I'll survey around two thousand artists each summer. There's no application process but I do consider hundreds of recommendations from course tutors, collectors, gallerists, bloggers and critics. I'll also look at which graduates have been awarded prizes by their art schools or other organisations. Ultimately, it's down to me to select the final 40, but it's essential that The Catlin Guide is an accurate representation of what's coming out of UK art schools and not just a reflection of my own tastes.
Catlin Guide artist Gabriella Boyd in her studio
Q. What specifically do you look for in the work of graduates across the country? A. Potential is the key criteria. I want artists to demonstrate the skill and desire to progress. In the Preface to the new book I talk about selecting artists with the ability to shape the dynamic of contemporary art over a prolonged period. It would be depressing to think that new grads have already made the best work they can. Q. Are you seeing any unusual trends that have surprised you ie. consistently good work from unsuspecting schools? A. Yes, in the first Catlin Guide I profiled 2 artists from the Art and Philosophy course at Duncan of Jordanstone College in Dundee, but I could have chosen 3 or 4. It was an excellent final show; a disproportionately strong set of original ideas. Graduates from the Scottish schools feature pretty heavily in the most recent book, especially the Glasgow School of Art. I really like Camillo Paravicini's series of photographs called The Collectors, and BA painting grad Gabriella Boyd is already receiving a lot of attention. I asked her to make some very small paintings for the book launch at the London Art Fair. Elsewhere, I consistently seem to come across interesting painting in Falmouth and Manchester.
From the series The Collectors by Camillo Paravicini (Inkjet print)
Q. What are your hopes to expand the initiative in 2012 and beyond? A. I'm always on the look out for interesting spaces because it's important to keep the Catlin Prize feeling fresh and we've just confirmed Londonewcatle Project Space as the venue for this year's event. It has 3 separate galleries, each around 1,000sq feet, so the challenge is to curate a cohesive show that can work on that scale. We'll chuck a great party too. In the future I'd like to invite guest curators to get involved with the Catlin Prize and there might be a few tweaks to book, but I don't really want to mess with the format too much. I reckon I've got that pretty much spot on.
