The Welsh artist, Tim Davies, has joined the Board of Artes Mundi, the UK’s largest visual art prize, which takes place every two years in Cardiff. Davies is well known to fans of Artes Mundi as the only European artist shortlisted for the inaugural prize in 2004. He represented Wales at the prestigious Venice Biennale last year and is Head of Fine Art at Swansea Metropolitan University.
Tim Davies is joining the Welsh arts charity at a busy time. The international shortlist for the fifth Artes Mundi Prize is due to be revealed at the end of January and preparations for the autumn exhibition at the new National Museum of Art in Cardiff are already getting under way. He commented:
“I am thrilled to become part of an organisation with such an outstanding record – not only promoting contemporary visual art in Wales but also building Wales’s cultural standing on the world stage.”
William Wilkins, Chairman of Artes Mundi, added:
“I am delighted that Tim Davies has agreed to join us. As one of Wales’s best known and most distinguished artists, his experience and knowledge of the visual arts and of arts education in Wales will be invaluable to us.”
One of the largest art prizes in the world, Artes Mundi was established in 2002. It is a contemporary visual arts initiative that gives greater visibility to socially-engaged artists and recognises them on a truly international platform.
Ben Borthwick, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, who joined Artes Mundi from Tate Modern in 2010, said:
“Artists are at the centre of everything Artes Mundi does so the recruitment of Tim Davies as a trustee is an important step forward. Crucially, at a time of development for Artes Mundi’s activity and ambitions, he brings to the board the experience and insight of being shortlisted for the prize himself.”
