Chinese artist on short list for award

Four artists, including one from China, are on the short list for a Rolls-Royce flagship initiative called Dream Commission, which recognizes moving-image creativity.

Chinese artist Zhou Tao, United States artists Martine Syms and Sondra Perry, and Beatriz Santiago Munoz, from Puerto Rico, were selected by an international jury of leading figures in the art world.

Each has created a short-form moving-image artwork, exploring the notion of 'Dreams' and one will be awarded a commission for a new moving image artwork in 2021.

Guangzhou-based artist Zhou Tao works primarily in video, drawing, and photography. For his short-form moving-image artwork Three Hundred Miles Southwest, his lens moves from densely populated areas to a remote and almost mythological setting.

"I think, for me, moving images mean actions that can happen at any time, and resonance that can happen at any time," Zhou said. "In that case, it's like it's connected to your own life. It's kind of like where there is life, there are actions. Where there is life, actions never stop. I think that digitization and digital media are kind of like all the vines that are rooted around the world are connected."

Now in its fifth year supporting international artists in creating new works, the Rolls-Royce art program, Muse, now has two biennial initiatives, the Dream Commission and the Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge.

The Dream Commission celebrates the latest innovations in the field of moving-image art. Works can be from any medium within that category including experimental film, video, animation, immersive and participatory installations, and content presented in non-screen formats, such as augmented and virtual reality.

Zhou said: "Rolls-Royce's commissioned project, Muse, I think for me it's mainly about the remote … The observation and the re-experiencing of the remote space. I think my art work wanted to touch on this to explore the interface of the remote space.

"This year, under the circumstances … to be able to continue carrying out commissioned projects such as Rolls-Royce's, whether it's for artists being commissioned or for Rolls-Royce or the commissioning party… I think this is a very positive direction, I think this is very meaningful, especially for this year."

The recipient of the Dream Commission will be announced in the spring.

Among the other nominees, New Jersey-based interdisciplinary artist Sondra Perry works across the media of AI, animation, performance, and video. And Beatriz Santiago Munoz is an artist and film maker. Los Angeles-based Martine Syms has earned wide recognition for combining conceptual grit, humor, and social commentary.