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Persi Darukhanawala Shortlisted for Prestigious International Prize

Persi Darukhanawala, a previous artist from The Other Art Fair London, was shortlisted this year for the prestigious International Art Olympia Prize in Tokyo – and came away with an Honourable Mention. With total prize money of half a million dollars, Zanzibar-born Persi was in the running for winning $120,000 for his piece Zero Revolutions per Minute, which was first judged in New York before being exhibited in Tokyo.

He has said of the shortlisted work: ‘White is an important colour in Persian Zoroastrian culture, and the minimality of my work is in stark contrast to much of the maximal sentimentality and “noise” of modern culture. My work is almost silent but in constant flux.’ (London News Online)


The artwork featured in the final judging, “Zero Revolutions per Minute.” (Image: courtesy the artist)

The distinguished judging panel included a curator from the Centre Pompidou, a director from the Gagosian Gallery and the Director of The Drawing Centre in New York. Of the almost 2,000 entries, only 100 works from outside Japan are chosen for the final round of judging. Persi was the only entrant from the UK who made it through to the open shortlist.

Persi was the only entrant from the UK who made it through to the open shortlist. He was recently described by Prof. Raphael Woolf of King’s College London as ‘one of the most original, subtle and intelligent artists working today in the UK.’

See Persi’s work at his current exhibition ‘Something’s Happening Here Today‘ is on at Ra Hair in Marylebone, London until 8 October 2017 or browse his portfolio online at Saatchi Art.