Alumni news Louis Pohl Koseda wins Christie's Award

The Christie's Award of £15,000 supports one Drawing Year graduate by providing a studio space, practice development mentoring and a solo exhibition at the School's gallery in Shoreditch.
The Drawing Year
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To coincide with The Drawing Year 2023 End of Year Exhibition, Louis Pohl Koseda, a graduating student of the course was announced as the winner of the first Christie’s Award, presented in partnership with the Royal Drawing School. 
This award will really change things for me as a practicing artist. I can now work in my own studio, and I can begin to develop my practice further. That's really what The Drawing Year has meant for me - it's meant that not only can I advance as an artist, but I feel confident in doing that. 

Louis Pohl Koseda

The Drawing Year alumnus

We’re in post vandalism now

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Louis Pohl Koseda Drawing the NHS Waiting Room in the Style of Pierre Bonnard, oil pastels coloured pencils, correction fluid and coloured ink

Louis Pohl Koseda grew up in East London where he was raised as a Hare Krishna. Louis' work explores the city, people and their behaviour. He draws the social and physical worlds of London and their interactions. He uses figurative compositions, fine line drawing, contemporary portraiture, mnemonic cityscapes and social phenomena to hold a mirror up to society. Advancing the traditional visual language of East London in contemporary fine art to effectively unpick the modern moral issues we face in British society today.

He studied architecture at the University of Sheffield and then founded a cultural organisation he directed for seven years. He has exhibited in over five countries, been featured in the Venice Biennale's British pavilion, and won a RIBA-Macewan award and two civic trust awards.

The winner was selected from The Drawing Year exhibition by the School’s External Assessment Board: Dr Xavier Bray, Director, The Wallace Collection; Rachel Campbell-Johnston, art critic, The Times; Thomas Dane, Director, Thomas Dane Gallery; Bharti Kher, artist; Rosa Loy, artist and Sydney Picasso, writer and researcher. 

With thanks to Christie's for their generous support.

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