SAATCHI ART’S
RISING STARS
As the world’s leading online gallery, Saatchi Art is dedicated to representing emerging artists from around the globe. While some of these artists have been making art for years, many others are just beginning their careers—and will be shaping the future of contemporary art for years to come.
“Saatchi Art’s Rising Stars” focuses on these young talents. For this annual list, Saatchi Art curators Monty Preston and Aurora Garrison, led by chief curator Rebecca Wilson, introduce recent graduates from the best art schools in the US and UK, offering collectors the chance to be among the first to discover exceptionally talented emerging artists.
As the world’s leading online gallery, Saatchi Art is dedicated to representing emerging artists from around the globe. While some of these artists have been making art for years, many others are just beginning their careers—and will be shaping the future of contemporary art for years to come.
“Saatchi Art’s Rising Stars” focuses on these young talents. For this annual list…
HANNAH BENASSI
Edinburgh, Scotland
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
BFA
Hannah Benassi’s paintings are comprised of simplified textural forms derived from an interest in antiquity, her Italian heritage, and how organic forms interact with man-made environments. The Edinburgh-based artist received her BA at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and she will start her MFA at the Glasgow School of Art in autumn 2019. She has participated in a number of exhibitions in Scotland including at Generator Gallery, The Biscuit Factory, and Doc Street Studio, and is the recipient of the 2019 Farquhar Reid Trust Prize.
Untitled
$2,741
Untitled
$1,038
Untitled
$1,705
“Informed by intuitive photographic research of ancient ruins and rustic architecture, Hannah deconstructs her visual references to their most simplified forms, piecing them together through a layering process that results in organic color fields.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Sean winn
London, UK
University of the Arts London
MFA
Sean Winn explores everyday inner battles with our emotions, relationships, and mental health through hyperrealistic paintings of isolated subjects. Originally from Southern California, Sean relocated to London where he pursued his BFA at Sterling College and his MFA at the UAL Wimbledon College of Art. His works have been exhibited widely in the UK and US, including at the Chelsea Gallery Space, Crypt Gallery, and the Riverside Art Council.
Never the Right Time
41 W x 55 H
$3,850
At the World’s End
60 W x 36 H
$5,350
Lone Wolf
36 W x 24 H
$1,180
“Sean’s work explores the lingering questions of our realities and engages in a dialogue about what our emotions mean to us as a whole.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
Caroline Jacobson
Chicago, USA
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
MFA in Painting & Drawing
In Caroline Jacobson’s paintings and sculpture, human-dog hybrids feature prominently as avatars, symbolic for how pets serve as both extensions of their owners’ identities, and as trophies signifying status and wealth. Caroline received her MFA in Painting & Drawing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Recent exhibitions include a residency/solo show at Woman Made Gallery and group shows at the Elmhurst Museum of Art, Western Exhibitions, The Chicago Artist Coalition, Club Nutz, and Sullivan Galleries.
Bella
$2,400
Ricky
$2,210
The High Priestess
$4,600
“Caroline makes a poignant statement in her works, exposing the codependent tendencies of human beings.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
Max gimson
Bath, UK
Royal College of Art
MFA in Painting
Max Gimson’s work is inspired by the visual hallucinations experienced when staring into flame, transforming them into a structured narrative that coincides with the physical and incidental acts of painting. The UK-based artist received his MFA in painting from the Royal College of Art and has been exhibiting widely since 2012.
Wetherspoons Blaze
$1,780
Windmills
$1,780
Doorknob
$1,780
“For Max, the fireplace represents an antiquated vessel or threshold through which an obfuscation of half-memories, dreams, and echoes of subconscious imagery emerge.”
– Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator
Lee Simmonds
Berkshire, UK
University of Oxford
BFA First Class (Hons)
With a BFA (Hons) First Class from Oxford University, Berkshire-born artist Lee Simmonds finds inspiration in the mundanity of suburban life. The 1st prize winner of the MS Amlin Young Artist Award, and of the Christ Church JCR A4 Prize, Lee has exhibited his work at the National Portrait Gallery and BP Portrait Award in London, and at the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
The Unenvied Burden 2
$3,390
Untitled (Hands)
$596
Untitled (Books)
$2,125
“Lee’s painterly practice is approached with an abstract mentality, appearing and disappearing props and characters through a ruminative investigation of chronic boredom.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Dominique bradbury
London, UK
Slade School of Fine Art
MFA
After living and studying in Chile and Germany, Dominique Bradbury received her MFA from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art in London. Her work touches on concepts of identity, appearances, and femininity. In addition to being profiled by several art publications, she has participated in numerous group shows including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), Chile, the Visual Arts Museum (MAVI), Chile, and the Kunsthalle Münster, Germany.
Pink, Grey, & Blue
$2,300
Untitled (Jeanne Shade)
$1,640
Untitled (Magic Strips)
$1,380
“With an insightful eye, Dominique playfully portrays her relationship with media and advertising imagery she encounters day to day in her paintings.”
– Victoria Kennedy, Associate Curator
Jaehyung Um
London, UK
Chelsea College of Arts
MFA
Using photography as a starting point, South Korean artist Jaehyung Um renders the movement and nuances of the human body through the use of oil paint and ballpoint pen. After receiving his BFA from Dongguk University in Seoul, Jaehyung relocated to London to pursue his MFA at the UAL Chelsea College of Art. Notable exhibitions include his participation in two group shows at the Cookhouse Gallery, UK and the Seoul Museum of Art, South Korea.
Magdalena Gluszak-holeksa
London, UK
UAL Wimbledon College of the Arts
MFA
Polish artist Magdalena Gluszak-Holeksa’s abstract paintings capture fleeting moments and ever-transforming environments. The London-based artist is a graduated with 1st Class Honors from the UAL Wimbledon College of Arts MFA program and has exhibited widely in the UK and Poland. Magdalena is the recipient of numerous awards including the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Emerging Artist Grant 2018, and was shortlisted for the Jackson’s Open Painting Prize 2019.
Brandon Logan
Orkney, Scotland
Edinburgh College of Art
MFA (Honors)
Graduating with an MA in Painting from the Edinburgh College of Arts, Brandon Logan brings an inventive multi-media approach to painting, creating woven tapestries by sealing strings with lacquered paint. In 2019, Brandon won The Astaire Art Prize, Royal Scottish Academy New Contemporaries Prize, and The University of Edinburgh Purchase Prize.
Tender Tables
$6,450
“Based in the Scottish islands of Orkney, Brandon weaves together his traditional heritage and contemporary method of painting to create works that embody the rich and stimulating space between object and artwork, craft and fine art.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Jean Oh
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Pratt Institute
MFA
Brooklyn-based artist Jean Oh received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and her MFA from the Pratt Institute in New York City. She has had solo exhibitions at the Gateway Gallery 1 in Baltimore, MD and the Steuben Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. She has shown her work at the CICA Museum in Gimpo, South Korea, and won the annual AHL-T&W Foundation Contemporary Visual Art Silver Award in 2019.
Nathan Prebonick
Providence, RI, USA
Rhode Island School of Design
MFA in Painting
Nathan Prebonick examines the thresholds of time and space in a contemporary context through painting. Originally from Akron, Ohio, he is a recent MFA graduate from Rhode Island School of Design. This year he has already participated in several exhibitions including at the RISD Museum and Gelman Gallery in Rhode Island, and the Monya Rowe Gallery, NYC. He is also the recipient of the 2019 Arts Alive Emerging Artist Award from Summit ArtSpace, Ohio.
Smokescreen
$8,500
Exchange
$1,080
Coffer
$8,500
“Nathan’s works interpret modern iconography through a digital, computerized lens without using the help of technology.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
Lizzy Lunday
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Pratt Institute
MFA
Lizzy Lunday’s paintings examine the influence of reality television and social media, contorting bodies and backgrounds in a Bacon-esque style. The Brooklyn-based artist received her BFA from the University of Miami and her MFA from the Pratt Institute in New York City. She has exhibited in cities such as London, Washington DC, New York City, and Miami, and was awarded a place in the 77Art Residency in Vermont Summer 2019.
Molly brocklehurst
London, England
University of Arts London
MFA with Merit
Through paint, British artist Molly Brocklehurst reconstructs old photographs to create scenes which blur the lines between document and fiction. Molly received her BFA (Hons) from Leeds Art University and her MFA with Merit from the University of Arts London. Her works have been exhibited in London at Truman’s Brewery, the Affordable Art Fair, Midnight Gallery, and the Refresh Art Award show.
Brenda
$2,900
Red Handed
$3,300
The Procession
$3,850
“Molly’s works speak to a haunting past, addressing the passing of time, loss, and notions of communities that no longer exist.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Liam Ashley Clark
Norwich, UK
Norwich University of the Arts
MFA
Influenced by the DIY cultures of skateboarding, punk, and hip-hop, Liam Ashley Clark injects folk scenes with humourous and subversive political commentary. He received his MFA from Norwich University of the Arts and was chosen as a Bloomberg New Contemporary Artist, 2019. Select exhibitions include New Perspective, Tate Liverpool 2012, and an upcoming show at Guillaume Daeppen Gallery, Basel, Switzerland. Liam’s work has been profiled in publications including Forge Art Magazine and Hashtag Photography Magazine.
Meddling Kids
$945
“Working across disciplines including painting, photography, collage, and illustration, Liam’s colorful and text-laden works reflect interests in youth culture and anti-systemic sentiment.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
Jihyun Han
New York, USA & Seoul, SK
School of Visual Arts
MFA
Splitting her time between New York City and Seoul, South Korean artist Jihyun Han seeks to visualize feelings of uncertainty in her personal life and society as a whole. The multi-media artist received her BFA from Hongik University in Seoul and her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has exhibited extensively in New York and Seoul and has an upcoming group exhibition at the SVA Flatiron Gallery in New York City in Fall 2019.
Uncertain Things
$185
Untitled (Space) #09
$2,910
Uncertain Things
$235
“Expanding on issues of uncertainty, anxiety, and confusion in the present day, Jihyun constructs intricate configurations made from everyday objects found in hardware and grocery stores.”
– Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator
Jisoo Hur
New York, USA
Hunter College
MFA
New York-based artist, Jisoo Hur’s abstract paintings often depict movement along with a myriad of colors. The artist received her BFA from Hongik University in Seoul and her MFA from Hunter College in New York City. Her works have been exhibited at the 205 Hudson Gallery in New York City and the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA.
Hudson Highlands
$1,080
Studio
$1,080
Hallway
$1,080
“With smeared edges and obscured forms, Jisoo’s paintings give the impression of a photograph capturing motion.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Rosalind Sanderson
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh College of Art
MFA
Through painting and printmaking, Scottish artist Rosalind Sanderson intuitively explores the natural elements of the world, particularly the organic rhythm of waves and wind. She received her MFA from the Edinburgh College of Art and has been shortlisted for the Astaire Art Prize, ECA Degree Show 2019.
Richard Goldsworthy
Buckingham, UK
Edinburgh College of Art
BFA in Sculpture
Based in Buckingham, UK Richard Goldsworthy graduated from Edinburgh College of Art, UK with a BA (Hons) in Sculpture in 2019. The British sculptor works predominantly with wood, often utilizing methods of carving, charring, and casting to produce works with high contrast. He was awarded the RSA (Royal Scottish Academy) Barns-Graham Travel Award in 2019 and will participate in the RSA Annual Exhibition in 2020.
Heartwood #5
$1,790
Heartwood #7
$1,730
Verticale
$3,000
“With dramatic contrasts and an emphasis on natural processes involving wood and metal, Richard’s sculptural works are ideal for quiet moments of contemplation and reflection.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Seungwon Jung
London, UK
UCL Slade School of Fine Art
MFA in Fine Art Media
Seungwon Jung’s installation works are composed of fragmented photographs printed onto fabric, in an interpretation of how our perceptions of time relate to space. After receiving her BFA from Chung-Ang University, Seoul in Fine Art Photography, she relocated to London where she achieved an MFA in Fine Art Media from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art. Seungwon is the recipient of several awards including the Wells Art Contemporary Awards 2019, and The Photographers’ Gallery New Talent Award 2019. She was an artist in residence at the UCL Art Museum in 2018.
Rock Installation
$3,100
Digital Strata #06
$1,040
“Seungwon’s sculptural fabric works are informed by an interest in both the digital world and more traditional processes of creation.“
– Megan Wright, Assistant Curator
Zahra jewanjee
Dubai, UAE
Rhode Island School of Design
MFA
Zahra Jewanjee is a Dubai-based painter and recent MFA graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work incorporates codes and symbols as it revisits notions of physical and ideological boundaries. She was one of 15 emerging UAE-based artists selected in 2017 for the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Emerging Artists Fellowship (SEAF). In 2018 her work was included in the ‘N-X00: New Forms for Citizenship’ Exhibition at MAS CONTEXT, in the US Pavilion at The Venice Architecture Biennale.
Maïa Régis
London, UK
Royal College of Art
MFA in Painting
Maïa Régis’ paintings directly respond to the emotional and physical binaries of life. Originally from Paris, she moved to London where she completed her BFA at the Chelsea College of Art and her MFA at the Royal College of Art. Maïa’s work has appeared in publications such as Art Maze Mag and Florr Magazine and is the recipient of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries Prize in both 2017 and 2018, as well as the Griffin Art Prize 2017.
Fly and Vinegar
$5,350
Run Devil Run
$5,350
Ramon Reyna
$5,350
“Maïa’s collage-like works seek to find a balance in paradoxical contexts with a sense of humor and joy while leaving space for ambiguity.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Sam Drake
London, UK
Rhode Island School of Design
MFA in Painting
Holding a BA Hons in Painting and Printmaking from the Glasgow School of Art, and an MFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design, Sam Drake has received international attention for his works that grapple with memory and nostalgia. Since winning the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy Keith Prize in 2016 and the Richard Ford Award in 2014, Sam has exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy, Arusha Gallery (Edinburgh), and Field Projects Gallery (New York).
The Walk
$465
Optimists Study
$465
Back to Norfolk
$3,050
“Walking the fine line between abstraction and figurative, Sam creates haunting scenes inspired by personal and found photography. Most recently, he won the Royal Scottish Academy William Littlejohn Award 2019 and received two grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation in support of his young career.”
– Victoria Kennedy, Associate Curator
Wushuang tong
New York City, USA
School of Visual Arts
MFA
Originally from Chengdu, China, Wushuang Tong is an interdisciplinary artist who connects painting, sculpture, and ceramics with literature and music. The New York-based artist received her BFA from the School of Art Institute, Chicago, her MFA from the School of Visual Arts, NYC, and was the recipient of merit scholarships in both programs. She has already exhibited her work in China, Italy, and the US.
I’m 99ºF When I Miss You
$3,810
Transparent Eyes
$3,810
“Wushuang’s colorful and dynamic paintings fuse together the world of music and poetry through what she calls ‘aesthetic synesthesia’.”
– Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator
yinan chen
Wuhan, China
Rhode Island School of Design
MFA in Ceramics
Ceramist Yinan Chen was drawn to her medium for its intrinsic similarities to the human condition, with its load-bearing strength and transformative qualities. Born in China, Yinan received her BFA from Hubei Institute of Fine Art before completing her MFA Ceramics from RISD. She received a Recognition of Excellence from the Hundred Flowers Award of Chinese Arts and Crafts, and her work was shown at the 2019 International Ceramics Invitational in Hubei, China.
Silent Wings 4
$2,270
Silent Wings 2
$2,010
Coagulation 2-2
$910
“Collected from nature, and malleable to the artist’s vision, Yinan turns clay into an examination of industrial and ecological tensions.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Gary anderson
Scottish Borders
Edinburgh College of Art
BA in Painting (Honors)
Rather than begin a work with a final composition already in mind, Edinburgh-based artist Gary Anderson uses a free-flowing process propelled by emotions, unconscious thoughts, and visual cues. Using his mood to dictate his materials, he works across a range of mediums—from sculpture and photography to painting and drawing. Having just completed his BA (Hons) in Painting at the Edinburgh College of Art, Gary will embark on his MFA there this fall. His work has been shown in numerous exhibitions in the UK, and he was the Edinburgh College of Art Astaire Prize runner up in March 2019 as well as the recipient of the Lyon and Turnbull Award in June 2019.
Scott’s Gaff
$1,130
Small Outing
$380
Ardnamurchan
$380
“Gary’s intuitive art-making practice results in emotive works that are at once universally profound and highly personal.”
– Rebecca Wilson, Chief Curator
Louise Ferguson
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh College of Art
BFA 2:1
Through the process of screen printing onto fabrics, Edinburgh-based artist Louise Ferguson aims to capture a sense of escapism through the realm of dance centered around the female body. A recent graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, with a BA (Hons) in Painting, Louise has received the TPE mentorship award and her work has shown in both Edinburgh and Manchester, UK.
Untitled
$210
Untitled
$210
Lost Dance
$3,360
“By painting on fabric with bold colors, Louise is able to achieve dimensional works that communicate imagined and obscured realities.”
– Megan Wright, Assistant Curator
Ji One Choi
London, UK & Seoul, SK
UCL Slade School of Fine Art
MFA in Painting
South Korean artist Ji One Choi explores the complexities of human relationships in her paintings and drawings. After receiving her BFA from the EHWA Women’s University in Seoul, she relocated to London to pursue her MFA in painting at the UCL Slade School of Fine Art. Ji One has had two solo exhibitions in South Korea and has participated in numerous exhibitions across the UK.
Self-Portrait
$1,680
Alive Memory 3
$1,880
Jumping at Tremplin 3
$1,480
“The blurriness of Ji One’s figures analogizes the physical and psychological effects of distance, absence, and presence between people.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
Zitong Zhu
NY, USA, Shanghai, China & Dusseldorf, Germany
School of Visual Arts
MFA
New York and Shanghai-based artist Zitong Zhu is a photographer and painter interested in a logic-based deconstruction of space. She holds both a BFA and MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and has exhibited at galleries including SVA Gramercy Gallery, cloyPARLOR Pop-up Show, and Pumpkin Club Online Gallery.
The Hudson River III
$1,800
“Zitong’s goal is to encourage the viewer to discover alternative realities through the strategic use of illusion and perspective.”
– Megan Wright, Assistant Curator
Riin Kaljurand
Dublin, Ireland
National College of Art and Design
MFA in Painting
Riin Kaljurand’s work explores the limits of her materials, resulting in highly textural, skin-like works made of household paint and acrylic that reference contemporary society and how age is perceived. The Estonia-born artist is a graduate of both the BFA and MFA program at National College of Art and Design in Ireland. She has exhibited her work extensively in Europe and the US. This year she has been featured in three exhibitions in Dublin and is longlisted for the 2019 RDS Artist Award.
Portrait
$660
Non-Painting 2
$1,785
Woman with Coat
$680
“Derived from an interest in the tangible aspect of her materials, Riin’s sculptures abstractly underline the perception of her place in contemporary society and her Soviet heritage.”
– Monty Preston, Associate Curator
Paul mcparland
Lintrathen, Scotland
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design
BFA
Scottish artist Paul McParland’s latest body of work communicates the decay of memory and the passing of time through a unique combination of charcoal and silicone. In addition to achieving his BFA from the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Paul has been featured as one of the 2019 Breakout Artists at Art Pistol in Glasgow and has participated in various group shows in Scotland. In 2016 he received a Craftex Award in the Advanced 2-Dimensional category.
“The impermanence of time and mortality is the focal point of Paul McParland’s monochromatic portraits, which are drawn from long-lost antique photographs.”
– Victoria Kennedy, Associate Curator
Sheefali asija
London, UK
Chelsea College of Arts
MFA
Originally from Hoshiarpur, India, Sheefali Asija currently lives and works in London. She will finish her MFA in 2019 at Chelsea College of Arts. Drawing inspiration from man-made machines and technology, her works are dominated by geometric forms and intense, artificial colors. She has participated in numerous international exhibitions, including the Los Angeles Art Show, Start Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery in London, and a solo show at The Gallery Steiner in Vienna, Austria. She won the ATIM (ArtTour International Magazine) award in 2015 at Rise International Art Fair in Ferrara, Italy and was a Finalist in the BLOOM award by Warsteiner in 2016.
Hypatia’s Window 3/5
$5,450
Progressive Overdrive
$2,300
Mimir’s Well 3/3
$1,940
“In her latest series “Pattern Seeker,” Sheefali uses imagery representative of human achievement, combining neon-colored mechanical forms with religious imagery such as stained-glass windows and mandalas.”
– Aurora Garrison, Assistant Curator
DISCOVER PAST CLASSES
RISING STARS ALUMNI
Since the 2013 publication of our very first MFA graduate feature—formerly titled “Invest in Art”—many of the featured artists have gone on to achieve significant acclaim. Discover these talented artists by revisiting past editions of the guide.
EDITION XII
EDITION XI
EDITION X: US
EDITION X: UK
THIS YEAR’S SELECTION COMMITTEE
MEET OUR CURATORS
Rebecca Wilson
Chief Curator & VP Art Advisory, Saatchi Art
Monty Preston
Associate Curator
Monty Preston is an Associate Curator at Saatchi Art. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A.Sc in Linguistics and Spanish Language Studies from the University of Toronto, Canada. Monty has previously worked at such industry disrupting startups as The RealReal in San Francisco, and BeautyPie in London.
Aurora Garrison
Assistant Curator
Aurora Garrison is an Assistant Curator at Saatchi Art. She has a B.A. in Art History and International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and an M.A. in Cultural Heritage Studies from the University of Turin, Italy. Aurora has previously worked at Christie’s in San Francisco and Paddle8 in Los Angeles.
ON THE BLOG
CURATOR FAVORITES
Our curators highlight artists from the 2019 Class of Rising Stars whose works show strong potential to increase in value.