Investing in the Next Generation: 2024 Recent Graduate Artists
Meet the Class of 2024 in our Graduates Exhibition at Affordable Art Fair Battersea Autumn, 16-20 October.
Katie Bone
Tuesday 24 September, 2024
This year’s Graduate Exhibition, co-curated by Nephertiti Oboshie Schandorf and Fair Director Hugo Barclay, features fine art illustrators, photographers, painters, and visual artists from top UK art schools. The exhibition explores themes of desire, memory, activism, and archives, with artists blending traditional techniques with contemporary perspectives. All artworks featured will be available to purchase, offering a unique opportunity to invest in rising stars!
A special thanks to JM Finn, our Lead Partner, for supporting the JM Finn Graduate Artist Award, which provides £5,000 towards the studio fees of one promising graduate. Stay tuned to discover this year’s award winner at the Affordable Art Fair Battersea Autumn 2024, and read on to get to know the artists.
So – let’s meet the class of 2024…
Allison Gretchko – Royal College of Art, MA Photography
A Chicago-born photographer and writer, Allison Gretchko’s work explores themes of care, consumption, and personal archives through a blend of photography and storytelling. Her practice delves into the intimate connections between people and places, examining how objects and memories shape our perceptions.
Tomislav Latinovic – Newcastle University, BA Fine Art
Tomislav Latinovic’s work is a powerful exploration of queer identity and post-Yugoslav cultural heritage. By reconstructing archival images, Tomislav seeks to uncover often-forgotten queer histories and shed light on the complexities of their intersectional experiences.
Aastha Patel – Royal College of Art, MA Photography
A visual artist from Mumbai, Aastha’s work bridges the body, the psyche, and the history of film. Her practice uses alternative processes to transform photography into sculptural objects, exploring the body’s relationship with natural formations and critiquing patriarchal systems.
Anthonia Ndukauba – Nottingham Trent University, MFA Fine Art
Anthonia Ndukauba’s layered figurative portraits challenge societal norms, empower marginalised voices, and engage in meaningful social dialogue. Inspired by nature, prehistoric art, and the subconscious, her work is deeply rooted in identity and memory.
Bethia Tam – Staffordshire University, MA Ceramics
Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Bethia Tam is a Hong Kong-born ceramics artist with an experimental approach to clay. Her work explores the interplay between materials, allowing natural occurrences and chance to shape the final outcome—a process that reflects her attitude toward life itself.
Yutong (Yetta) Xu – Anglia Ruskin University, MA Illustration
Yutong (Yetta) Xu captures the subtle details of everyday life through her distinctive hand-drawn textures and illustrations. Her work invites viewers to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, transforming social phenomena and personal experiences into evocative visual narratives.
Zoja Kalinovskis – Morley College London, BA Photography
A politically engaged visual artist, Zoja Kalinovskis focuses on intersectional representation through photography. As a disabled, queer, non-binary artist, their work is both a celebration of identity and a critique of societal norms, exploring the passage of time through abstract imagery.
Kirti Virmani – Royal College of Art, MA Print
Indian-born multi-disciplinary artist Kirti Virmani explores spirituality and cultural iconography through photography, printmaking, and ceramics. Her meditative visuals encourage viewers to pause and reflect on life’s ebb and flow, blending natural landscapes and architectural forms.
Amina Pagliari – Loughborough University, BA Fine Art
Amina Pagliari’s mixed-media work focuses on decoloniality and the relationship between Britain and South Asia. Through her use of 3D materials, Amina creates visually captivating installations that communicate complex histories and challenge colonial narratives.
Wai Yi Chung – University for the Creative Arts, MA Fine Art
Originally from Hong Kong, Wai Yi Chung’s art practice reflects on themes of identity, mental health, and the human condition. With a background in journalism and fine art, her work has been exhibited across London, offering audiences an introspective look at life’s fragility and strength.
Ross Head – Slade School of Art, MA Painting
Ross Head’s work focuses on how desire is performed and expressed, exploring themes of queerness, masculinity, gender, and body image. Using thick textures, vibrant colours, and delicate marks, his paintings tell intimate stories. Drawing from film stills, archival imagery, and sports photography, he creates imagined worlds where time and place blur, offering an alternative reality. His work also explores the relationship between non-normative identities and modern architecture, celebrating theatricality and personal expression.
Don’t miss the opportunity to view these incredible artworks at Affordable Art Fair Battersea Autumn 16-20 October, where you can support the next generation of creative talent and make a smart investment for your own collection.
A huge thank you to our Lead Partner JM Finn, whose generous support makes the Recent Graduates Exhibition and the JM Finn Graduate Artist Award possible.
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