The award, sponsored by Yorkshire South Tourism in partnership with Yorkshire Forward and South Yorkshire Objective 1, is a biennial prize launched to promote, support and celebrate innovation and excellence in craftsmanship for those working with metals.
A winner will be selected by a judging panel, which includes the Duke of Devonshire who has given his enthusiastic backing to the scheme. His home at Chatsworth includes a historic collection of metalwork craftsmanship, considered as the most innovative of its period.
The shortlisted works were also photographed at Chatsworth, juxtaposing the innovative and contemporary metalwork against the historic layout of Chatsworth.
Corin Mellor of Corin Mellor Design, one of the UK’s best-known designers of cutlery and metal wares, and Dorian Church, senior curator of Decorative Art at Museums Sheffield will also judge the competition.
The shortlist of makers includes well-known artists in their field alongside emerging talents from across the UK.
Finalists include Korea New Art Festival prizewinner Ji Hoon Choi; acclaimed Sheffield maker Victoria Kershaw and Lucian Taylor whose work is represented in the collections at the V&A.
The finalists’ works will be on display at Museums Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery until December 3 2008.
Museums Sheffield is custodian one of the most important collections of decorative and domestic metalwork in the UK, which has been classed as a Designated Collection by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in recognition of its national and historic significance.
