The Hari Art Prize - The Hari London

The Hari Art Prize In collaboration with A Space For Art

We are excited to announce the launch of our first ever art prize in collaboration with A Space For Art, who have curated the hotel’s public spaces since our opening in 2016.

The Hari Art Prize is poised to become an integral part of The Hari London’s annual rolling art programme, celebrating the global roster of artistic talent attracted to London. With the thought for there to become a sister competition at The Hari in Hong Kong, The Hari Art Prize 2022 will continue our ongoing support for new generations of talent.

The Awards

From a list of over 400 applicants, a shortlist of artists have been chosen by an elite panel of judges overseen by Dr. Aron Harilela, CEO and Chairman of Harilela Hotels Ltd. Artwork from the shortlisted artists will adorn the walls of our hotel lobby, private dining room, and The Hari Bar in an exclusive exhibition from 1 September 2022 until February 2023.

The three finalists will then be announced at a VIP award event at The Hari on 17 November 2022. The overall winner will be awarded with a cash prize of £10,000, generously donated by Dr. Aron Harilela, and the two runners up will receive the opportunity to become the next ‘Artists in Residence’ based at The Hari from January to February 2023, followed by an exhibition of their work at the hotel. All three finalists will have their work exhibited at The Hari’s newest hotel in Hong Kong.

See the full list of the shortlisted artists and their works below.

Shortlisted Artists

The Judges

The winner of The Hari Art Prize, will be decided by an esteemed panel of 6 Judges, overseen by
Dr Aron Harilela, CEO and Chairman of Harilela Hotels Ltd.

CEO and Chairman of Harilela Hotels Ltd Dr. Aron Harilela

Dr. Aron Harilela is the Chairman & CEO of Harilela Hotels Limited. Established in 1959 and still wholly owned by the Harilela Family, The Harilela Group is a Hong Kong based private company with extensive experience in hotel investment and management. The Group owns and operates some 15 properties across Hong Kong, China, Asia, Europe and the U.S. In 2016, The Harilela Group started its own brand. The Hari, London opened its doors in August 2016 and The Hari, Hong Kong opened December 2020.

Senior Director, White Cube Gallery Irene Bradbury

“It is with great excitement that The Hari brand launches its first ever art prize and I am delighted to be part of the judging panel.

My family has always had a passion for art with many pieces from our private collection featured throughout The Hari hotels in London and Hong Kong.

This is the first of a new cultural tradition for us.”

Contemporary British Painter Matthew Burrows MBE

Matthew Burrows MBE is represented by Vigo Gallery London and is the founder of Artist Support Pledge, a global movement in support of artists and makers.

Burrows speaks of painting as a form of subsistence, dependent on and arising from the ground at his feet. His work explores the conditions by which we thrive and connect – individually, communally and cosmologically.

Curator, Art Historian and Writer Aindrea Emelife

Aindrea Emelife trained as an art historian at the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art and has quickly gone on to become a ground-breaking new voice in an art world otherwise steeped in tradition.

Aindrea debuted her first column for the Financial Times aged 20 years old, and has been published widely and internationally, including articles in The Guardian, Vanity Fair, The Telegraph, BBC, GQ, Frieze, The Independent, BBC and ArtNet.

Director of Hastings Contemporary Liz Gilmore

Over the broad sweep of her 20-year career in the arts – Liz Gilmore has lead an innovative artistic enterprise on the South East coast of England, played a key role in the formation and delivery of Arts Council England’s strategic ambitions for visual arts, been an interpretation specialist at the heart of the evolution of The National Gallery’s learning programme and strategy development, and advised on learning policies to promote inclusion across multiple museums.

British Artist Gavin Turk

Gavin Turk is a British born, international artist. He has pioneered many forms of contemporary British sculpture now taken for granted, including the painted bronze, the waxwork, the recycled art-historical icon and the use of rubbish in art.

Turk has recently been commissioned to make several public sculptures including L’Âge d’Or (2016), sited on the south corner of the Press Centre building in the Olympic Park and Nail, a 12-meter sculpture at One New Change, next to St Paul’s cathedral, London, England.

Head of Curatorial for A Space for Art Melissa Digby-Bell

Melissa Digby-Bell has worked in the contemporary art sector since 2002, following a degree in History of Art at the University of Bristol. Her career began at White Cube, going on to manage the studios of high profile artists Marc Quinn and Anish Kapoor.

In 2014, Melissa co-founded curatorial partnership and consultancy Mehta Bell Projects and has since launched Offshoot Arts – an art consultancy and gallery dedicated to supporting and promoting emerging and mid-career international artists.

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“We are so thrilled to launch our first ever Art Prize. Art has long been at the centre of The Hari and starting with our Class of 2020 exhibition, we are delighted to continue nurturing and fostering emerging talent for years to come.”

– Andrew Coney, General Manager at The Hari