18 May - 30 September, York Art Gallery

The Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition is a celebration of emerging and establishing artists from across the world, inviting audiences to be inspired by a wealth of ideas and perspectives. From Photographic & Digital Art and Painting, Drawing & Mixed Media, to Three-Dimensional Design & Sculpture and Video, Installation & Performance, the works included in this year’s presentation come from diverse locations such as Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Singapore, the UK and the USA.

As the world is increasingly shaped by surveillance and data collection, the human condition has become one of rehearsal and performance. Exploring the wider effects of over-consumption, media stimulation and emotional disconnection, the artworks presented in 2018 call into question new modes of communication, offering reflection upon the era of post-truth, where human autonomy can be reduced to calculable, predictable patterns of behaviour.

Each piece draws upon social and political structures to question the value that we place on the world around us. From global financial systems to technologies that replicate nature, the diverse subject matter included in this year’s presentation holds innovation at its core, defining the vocabulary for the 21st century.