The casino conglomerate MGM has backed a new contemporary art award in partnership with Art Basel Hong Kong. The inaugural prize, known as the MGM Discoveries Art Prize, was awarded today to the South Korean artist Shin Min, who is showing her installation Ew! There is hair in the food! in the Discoveries section of the fair until 30 March.
The winning piece comprises a collection of sculptures depicting female workers in uniforms and hairnets. MGM says that “Shin Min’s work delves into the harsh realities endured by women in South Korea’s high-pressure service and corporate sectors, drawing from her personal experiences working at Starbucks and McDonald’s”.
Shin receives a $50,000 cash prize, to be shared between the artist and her gallery, P21 in Seoul. According to an MGM statement, she will also be offered an opportunity to “engage in artistic exchanges in Macau, further inspiring creative expression and ideas”.
“MGM hopes to introduce cutting-edge artistic trends into the city by inviting award-winning artists to Macau and inspiring the younger generation to engage in artistic creation,” the company adds. MGM says online that it is “a leading developer, owner and operator of gaming and lodging resorts in Greater China”, overseeing casinos in Macau.
Prize judges include Antonia Carver, the director of Art Jameel in Dubai, UAE, and Christopher K. Ho, the executive director of Asia Art Archive. The other shortlisted artists were New York-based Kayode Ojo and Mumbai-based Saju Kunhan.
