Winners of the Bakhita Prize for the Visual Arts

This summer, the editors of Dappled Things announced a new contest calling on visual artists "to help us see more clearly: to help us honor and highlight the infinite worth inherent within each victim of racial violence." Named in honor of St. Josephine Bakhita, patroness of Sudan and victims of human trafficking, the Bakhita Prize for the Visual arts called for photographs, paintings, illustrations, or sculptures that could help us "better see the humanity and God-given worth of victims of racial violence," awarding a top prize of $1000 to the winning entry.

As a previous update had explained, we received a trove of excellent submissions from around the world and our panel of judges therefore needed some extra time to reach a final decision. We apologize for the delay in making the announcement, but are delighted to report that the winners have been selected and will appear in the next edition of the journal (today we will share only the image of our winning entry, but stayed tuned for the rest). The list below includes a winner, runner-up, and eight honorable mentions, all of which fulfill the theme of the contest in diverse and complementary ways. We can't wait to share them with you soon.

Headlines by Oluwatobi Adewumi
26 x 36 in, Charcoal/Acrylic/Newspaper on paper, 2020

Winner: Headlines by Oluwatobi Adewumi (charcoal/acrylic/newspaper on paper)

This judges considered this beautiful charcoal portrait to be one that succeeded at being both topical and timeless, embodying the struggles of our times in a way that speaks beyond the present moment. The image conveys a sense of strength and dignity coupled with struggle, and the subject of the painting gazes at the viewer with a hard-to-avoid and questioning gaze that invites self-reflection.

Runner-up: Content of Character by Howard Fullmer (salvaged .22 caliber bullet brass in natural patina glued to board)

Honorable Mentions:

Wonderfully Made by Eva Crawford (framed acrylic and collage on wood panel)

Our Lady of Loretto in the Refugees' Cloak by Margherita Gallucci (oil on panel)

Thurman by Firelight by Martin Dunn (oil on canvas)

Why Divide? by Gurneet Kaur (charcoal on paper)

Black & Blue by Robert Forman (yarn painting)

A Mother's Struggle by Rachel Singel (ink on paper)

Alisa by Hannah Thomas (tempera and gold leaf on panel)

We Matter by Michael Riley (ink on paper)

Judges and other acknowledgements: Our thanks go to CIVA (Christians in the Visual Arts) for helping us to spread the word about the contest, and to all the artists who submitted their work. It was truly hard to select a list of finalists as there was so much excellent work to consider. We sincerely hope that many of you will submit your work for future editions of the journal. The following panel of three judges was charged with sifting through all submissions and selecting the winners. The DT editorial board thanks the judges for their dedicated work in selecting such excellent pieces that truly reflect the stated theme of the contest in such poignant and varied ways.

Larry Cope is an award-winning graphic designer and artist with over 30 years of experience. Deeply rooted in his Catholic faith, he has served with Chicago Bishop Joseph Perry on the Black Catholic Convocation Planning Committee and helped launch the Black Catholic Chicago website. Larry is also an artist and a member of Creative Artist Association in Chicago. He was a regional semi-finalist in the 2018 Bombay Sapphire Art Series in Chicago. In 2018 and 2019, he was among the artists selected to participate in the Museum of Science and Industry’s “Black Creativity” Juried Art Exhibit. His most notable works are the captivating ceiling medallions representing Christ and the four evangelists at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.

Daniel Mitsui is an artist born in Georgia, USA, in 1982, and raised in Illinois. His meticulously detailed ink drawings, made entirely by hand on paper, papyrus or vellum, are held in collections worldwide. Since his baptism in 2004, most of his artwork has been religious in subject. He draws inspiration from Gothic illuminated manuscripts, panel paintings and tapestries, as well as from Japanese and Persian art. Daniel lives in northwest Indiana with his wife Michelle and their four children.

Bernardo Aparicio García is founder and publisher of Dappled Things and curator of the visual art featured in the journal.