The Hari Art Prize 2025 runner up, has been awarded to Elinor Haynes, a French-Australian multimedia artist based in London, whose sculptures impressed the judges with her originality, ambition, and experimental use of materials.
The judges were intrigued by her ability to combine contrasting textures and forms, creating works that are both visually striking and conceptually layered. Her sculptures reveal a strong sense of curiosity and risk-taking, pushing the boundaries of how materials can behave and interact.
This interview offers a closer look at the voice behind one of the year’s most compelling and resonant bodies of work.
Hi, I’m Elinor, a multimedia artist based in London. My practice explores visceral states and movement, negotiating a tension between the carnal and the spiritual, essentially, different ways of sensing what it means to be alive. I work across video, mechanical systems, and sculpture, often combining digital processes with physical making. I graduated with an MFA from the Slade School of Fine Art in 2023.
Participating in The Hari Art Prize was a really smooth process. Everyone was extremely helpful throughout the whole organisation. From Ryan Munro, who has such a thoughtful curatorial eye, to the -now legendary- Asiimov Baker, for writing and production help, and the entire team at The Hari being so generous and friendly. I met great artists and I’m very thankful for the experience.
I heard about the prize as a potential way to support production costs, which immediately made it relevant to my practice. Beyond that, it felt important to put my work into a public-facing context and extend its reach. The application process was refreshingly straightforward, which, honestly, made all the difference. Some open calls can be quite deterring!
A very welcome artist boost!! A reassuring nudge to keep going. Sustaining a practice for young artists, particularly in a city like London, can be challenging. This recognition felt meaningful and motivating.
I’ve already used it as production support for a bronze cast, the bronze assembles around a glass piece in a new artwork.
With Drowning, I was really eager to transfer my 3D modelling skills into real life. I worked on the piece both physically, through glass blowing and wood carving, and digitally, using CNC machining for the wood. I’m a bit obsessed with fusing and blending different materials together to obtain a sense of visceral life and movement.
For this work, I followed feeling swamped, with water submerging the body. The pump acts like a breathing mechanism, the work is gasping for air, yet not getting quite there..!
It was really interesting seeing the artworks in such a vibrant space like The Hari Hotel. The other pieces were profound and beautiful, and worked really well together. Special mention goes out to Beth McAlester!
Yes, absolutely. The prize is very straightforward to apply to, and you only really gain from it: meeting talented artists, an incredible jury, and great visibility. Everything else is taken care of by the wonderful team at The Hari, including providing such an original space for art!
