Works in oil, textiles, watercolour, acrylic, photography, installation and sculpture produced by students and staff are currently on display in the Art Rooms, all entries of this year’s Rylands Art Prize.
Chef Adrian Novac is the artist behind 'Chasing Dreams and other Misfortunes', the oil painting that stood out as exceptional and was awarded first prize. It features a powerful horse with the shadow of a women at its feet, bathed in flowers. Adrian shares first place with Teddy Graham, winner of the Rylands Prize in 2023 and 2024. 'Remains', Teddy’s work this year, explores love and loss, memories and promises, in what at first glance looks like a wedding dress with a box of matches placed next to it, on a small table.
Second prize was also jointly awarded to MPhil student Yu Huang for the skilful ink piece 'Hanging Scroll' and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences finalist Smilte Razanovaite for 'Anatomy of the Soul', a mixed-media study of vulnerability and healing.
In third place were the works of History student Biba Marks and Joanna Patterson-Cross from the Admissions & Outreach team, both exploring remembrance.
The 2025 prize was judged by King’s Fellow Sophie Pickford, who says “King’s is known as a creative college, but the powerful range of works that greet you when you enter the room speak to something deeper; a self-reflexivity and astonishing emotional range that highlight our wonderfully imaginative community.”
You can view all of this year’s entries in the main Art Room (at the top of A staircase) until 28 February.
