The annual Art award from the Josef Herman Foundation is given in memory of Carolyn Davies, who died in 2018 to a student who graduates in fine art from Swansea College of Art. Carolyn was Chair and a Trustee of the Herman Foundation, and promoted the arts in the Swansea area. The arts were important to her, and she was always helpful in supporting graduates, and ensuring creative opportunities for them. Carolyn was an inspirational person, and promoted the arts whenever she had the opportunity to do so. Her key focus was creativity and the journey through the artistic process.
This award is funded by the Josef Herman Foundation, along with David Morris (Carolyn’s widow).
Ewan Coombs 2024 - Winner of the Josef Herman Art award in Memory of Carolyn Davies
Ewan Coombs with his sculptures and trustees at Swansea College of Art.
Hannah Henson 2023 - Winner of the Josef Herman Art Award in Memory of Carolyn Davies
Hannah’s work involved wrapping ordinary objects with plaster and then removing the object. There is a monumental fragility to her sculptures.
Redhab Jafar 2022 - Winner of the Josef Herman Art award in memory of Carolyn Davies
Redhab on the left with Jackie Hankin, Trustee and Sandra Morgan also a selector who represents Carolyn Davies’ family.
Redhab’s work explores memory and journey
Owain Sparnon 2021 - Winner of the Josef Herman Art Award in Memory of Carolyn Davies
Owain Sparnon, Fine Art graduating student from Swansea Coleg of Art, University of Wales Trinity Saint David has won the annual Josef Herman Foundation Art Award 2021 in memory of Carolyn Davies.
Abigail Fraser 2020 - Winner Josef Herman Art award in Memory of Carolyn Davies
Abigail Fraser worked on lockdown projects working with neon images and short films. Culture and Welsh themes are central to Abigail’s work.
Artist Statement
Fraser’s artwork is a dreamy, psychedelic exploration of memories appertaining to previous events. Her mixed media sculptures and instillations evoke a response to light on the senses. Projecting a sense of self and an inquisition of reality. Inspired by the invention of the ‘Tachistoscopic Lens’ by American Engineer Samuel Renshaw in 1943, Fraser investigates how the energy of light permanently surrounds us all in a very personal manner, playing a heavy role on our perception. Showcasing the inherent attraction to light and being human, whilst generating a condition of groundlessness.
Often examining themes of faith and human experience, Fraser’s use of light in an interior space demands an intimate experience between the viewer and her material. Testing the limits of the viewer’s threshold of visibility and forcing them to doubt their senses.
Fraser’s work often contains simple drawings of universally recognised forms and symbols of familiarity to challenge the notion of comfort and conformity, whilst investigating the spatial and temporal possibilities of drawing as sculpture. Fraser’s drawings act as a procedure of self-confession, the use of bright colours attracting the viewer, demanding attention whilst also acting as warning against the artist and her work. Her drawings are often humorous, generating a connection between sense and non-sense, in a documentation of the artist’s questioning her own identity and sense of belonging.
During the Corona Virus pandemic Fraser used her practice as a vehicle of understanding. Generating ideological drawings and animations of contemporary comforts, in a response to her own loss of faith in the reality of life. Through making these durational animations solely available online Fraser hoped to create an alternative space to frame our experiences. Forcing a juxtaposition between the world of simulation and nervous simulation. Whilst also documenting and memorialising our shared experience of our existence.
Alison Bater 2019 - Winner of Josef Herman Art award in Memory of Carolyn Davies
Alison Bater was the first recipient of the Josef Herman Art award in Memory of Carolyn Davies. Selected by members of the Herman Foundation.
Alison’s work was a large textile work uniting different knitted work dealing with memory and loss.