Damien Ajavon has been awarded the Norwegian Art Association's debutante prize 2023
Damien Ajavon received the Norwegian Art Association's debutante prize 2023 for the textile work PROTECTION OF RELICS (Black Craft Matter) (2023).
The work PROTECTION OF RELICS was created during his stay at Søndre Green in 2022 and 2023. He was one of the participants at Air Green in autumn 2022 and in spring 2023 he had a residency at Studio AiR Green. He was also a festival artist at the MINI festival in spring 2023.
The award was announced at the opening of the State's 136th Art Exhibition – The Autumn Exhibition at Kunstnernes hus in Oslo.
In the justification, the jury writes: This year's debutant convinced the jury with a monumental textile work that takes us into a personal and at the same time universal story of identity and cultural heritage.
Hearty congratulations from AIR Green on the award, Damien Ajavon. We are so proud and happy to be able to help and support his art.
– I was in shock and couldn’t believe that I won. I felt so honored and humbled. Winning the debutant prize recognizes my hard work and dedication to my craft. It also means that my work is being seen and appreciated by others. This is a huge motivator for me to continue creating and pushing myself to improve,
– I want to thank everyone who has supported me, especially my Mom, Kristin Lindberg, and my friends. I would also like to thank the jury for choosing my work. I am excited to continue my journey as a craft-maker. I hope to one day make a meaningful contribution to the art world.
Damien Ajavon, September 2023
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