Dissertation prize winners 2022
Meet the winners of our annual prize for extended pieces of writing on sculpture.
Each year we give two awards for BA and MA dissertations on contemporary, modern or historical sculpture, with a £250 cash prize.
We encourage writing on sculpture in the broadest possible sense, and this year we were delighted to receive submissions that considered sculpture in relation to topics as diverse as performance, politics, poetry, land art, memory, and many more.
In a year of very strong submissions, we have given this year’s awards to Gigi Lee (University of Edinburgh) and Joseph Strang (Glasgow School of Art).
MA dissertation prize winner
Gigi Lee
University of Edinburgh
Cultural Identity in Change: From Goddess of Democracy 1989 to Lady Liberty 2019
This excellently researched and written dissertation looks at the change of cultural identity of Hong Kong people from 1989 to now. In analysing the Goddess of Democracy, the replicas of the Goddess of Democracy and the Lady Liberty, Lee demonstrates how these statues reflect Hongkongers’ cultural memory and identity at the time.
BA dissertation prize winner
Joseph Strang
Glasgow School of Art
The Possibility of Forgetting
In this highly creative dissertation, Strang’s work takes the form of a ghost story written by two different authors separated by over a century. The narrative follows a fictionalised Joseph Strang as he undertakes research in the Glasgow City Archives. Over a century and a half later, another researcher begins her translation of Strang’s story, building a network of possible readings.
Find out more
Want to learn more about about our annual dissertation prize? Find answers to commonly asked questions and information about how to apply for next year’s prize on our website.