The two winners of the Hunting in Art Prize 2007 were awarded at the occasion of the 54th General Assembly in Belgrade: Simon Gudgeon and Bodo Meier.
Hunting in Art Prize 2007
The CIC Commission for Hunting in Art, History and Museums gives out every two years an international prize with the aim of rewarding an artist, museum or cultural organism, which puts forth the values of hunting in art.
The Commission Hunting in Art, Culture and Museums has chosen the two winners of the Hunting in Art Prize 2007 at the occasion of the 54th General Assembly in Belgrade.
1st Prize Winner: Simon Gudgeon, UK
Simon Gudgeon – Great Britain’s leading contemporary wildlife sculptor – was born in 1958. His earliest days were spent on the family farm in Yorkshire learning the essential arts of observation, evaluation, interpretation. Learning to understand the importance of balance in nature and man’s impact – good and bad.
Simon Gudgeon’s signature style is instantly recognisable – a smooth, minimalised form expressing in simple lines both movement and emotion. A moment captured. He is particularly admired for his sculpture of birds in flight.
His greatest inspiration will always spring from observing in the wild. Simon believes that before you can sculpt a creature, you have to understand it and where it comes from. Relating creatures to their natural habitat and how they live within it are one of his passions.
He counts among his many enthusiasms a concern for the conservation of our fast diminishing natural assets and has long been a supporter of The Game Conservancy Trust.
The award was handed out by His Grace the Duke of Westminster at the members meeting of the CIC UK Delegation on 14 May 2007 in London. After the ceremony the Delegation members were invited to the artist’s exhibition at the Halycon Gallery.
2nd Prize Winner: Bodo Meier, Germany
Bodo Meier was born in Siegen, Germany in 1949. He studied fine arts, English and biology and graduated from Siegen University to work as a teacher. Apart from his profession he is working as an artist of wildlife art and illustrator for outdoor magazines. His experiences in watercolour painting are described in his book “Tiere in Aquarell” (painting animals in watercolour).
Bodo Meier’s watercolors offer the viewer a close encounter with wild game, be it in the African bush, the Canadian wilderness or in the European forests. He devoted some of his wildlife-paintings for the Selous-guide (a game reserve in Tanzania) and occasionally he contributes still to the National Parks of Tanzania by acting as an instructor for wildlife and outdoor painting-safaris.
Since 2000 he regularly publishes calendars on wildlife. In 2003 his paintings had been introduced in America’s famous Wildlife Art Magazine.