Sculptor Man Yau has been chosen as the Young Artist of the Year

Man Yau draws on familiar everyday forms in his sculptures and installations. Tampere was the venue for the 41st edition of the exhibition. Young Artist of the Year.

As a prize, Yau will receive a 25 000 euro scholarship from the City of Tampere. He will also receive a solo exhibition at the Tampere Art Museum.

Yau says he started screaming when he heard about his choice.

– It gave me an unreal feeling. This is a really significant prize,” says Yau.

Born in 1991, Yau lives and works in Helsinki. He has studied at the Fine Arts Academy of the University of the Arts and Aalto University.

Yau’s works have been exhibited both in Finland and abroad.

Yau’s works can currently be viewed at the Pitted Dates exhibition space in Helsinki. The exhibition opening in February at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma will also feature Yau’s art.

Man Yau makes installations and sculptures. In his art, he imitates everyday objects and aesthetic symbols of power.

The materials used in the works and the cultural associations they bring are important to Yau.

– I choose very carefully which material I use in each exhibition. I believe that materials play a big part in power structures, Yau said at the award ceremony at the Tampere Art Museum.

For example, in his art silk can represent exotic commercialization and glass fragility.

Early works by Yau will also be on show in Tampere

The winner of the Young Artist of the Year award gets to build their own exhibition at the Tampere Art Museum.

Some of the works displayed at Man Yau’s art exhibition are the artist’s early productions. He wants to bring the early stages and incompleteness of his own career to the public’s view.

He does not want to tell more about the new works yet.

– I can’t say yet what will come here. My thoughts evolve with the process. I want to leave myself free, Yau says about the works he sees in Tampere.

Yau’s art has been purchased for several art collections. He has made a collection of works for the Kuninkaantamme elementary school and daycare center in Helsinki in 2023.

Man Yau is already the 41st person chosen as Young Artist of the Year.

A jury of experts selects internationally interesting trendsetters under the age of 35 as award recipients. The goal is to bring out new Finnish contemporary art and at the same time preserve the works of the most promising young artists of their time for future generations.

Previous years’ awardees can be found on the website of the Tampere Art Museum.

*The story was edited at 11:45: added Man Yau’s comments from the press conference.*