Battersea Recent Graduates’ Exhibition

Medeia Cohan, our brand new Recent Graduates’ Curator, talks us through her thinking behind this year’s display and shares her top tips on getting started as an emerging artist.

‘For this years Recent Graduates’ Exhibition I wanted to take advantage of the evolving layout of the fair and present something ambitious and perhaps unfamiliar. I very much see this exhibition in two parts: In the atrium, right at the front of the fair, is my pick of the most exciting painters that were discovered at the last round of UK degree shows. In this section, I’ve focused on six artists and curated a series of mini solo presentations, each showcasing a number of works, many previously unseen. By doing so, I aim to provide a strong context and a deeper insight into the work of each artist.

‘As visitors explore the fair, they’ll discover four special commissions that make up the second part of the Recent Graduates’ Exhibition. For these sections, I have selected four artists – Jake Grewal, Bex Ilsley, Holly Muir and Tom Stewart – encouraging each to propose an experimental installation that stretches the established confines of an art fair. The results are engaging and interactive, challenging and thoughtful. I hope these provide an alternative experience, while emphasising the diversity of work emerging from UK art schools.’