'Painter' Solbi Wins Grand Prize at Barcelona International Art Awards

Kwon Ji-an (Solbi)'s 'Piece of Hope', 50x50(12)cm, Mixed media on Canvas, 2021.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Singer and painter Kwon Ji-an (Solbi) received the prestigious Grand Prize at the '2021 Barcelona International Art Award' as a Korean artist.

On the 4th, Kwon Ji-an was awarded the Grand Artist Award, the grand prize, at the '2021 Barcelona International Art Award (The Premi Internacional d’Art de Barcelona·PIAB)' held during the Barcelona International Art Fair (FIABCN).

Over two days on the 3rd and 4th, FIABCN took place at the Maritime Museum in Barcelona, Spain, with over 100 contemporary artists from around the world participating. Kwon Ji-an was invited as a main artist and presented a total of 13 pieces from the 'Just a Cake' series titled 'Piece of Hope.' She also exhibited an installation work in collaboration with German installation artist Choi Jaeyong, which received enthusiastic responses locally.

The 'Piece of Hope' works that Kwon Ji-an showcased at FIABCN became a hot topic last year-end after trending on various portal sites' real-time search lists. The works began to attract more attention overseas than in Korea, catching the eyes of FIABCN officials early this year and securing her invitation as an artist well in advance.

The PIAB award that Kwon Ji-an received is decided by on-site judging of exhibited works during the FIABCN period. The judging panel consisted of seven members, including Robert Llimos, an artist known as the 'second Picasso' in Spain and a master of plastic arts, and Vera Bertran, founder of the art and culture platform CAC (Contemporary Art Collectors).

Robert Llimos, one of the judges, explained the reason for selecting Kwon Ji-an as the grand prize winner: "She received high marks from the judges for her dynamic expressiveness and originality, showing the most distinctive aspects among FIABCN artists. After viewing Kwon Ji-an’s works, I saw originality that cannot be found in other artists."

'PIAB' is an annual international art award held jointly with Juve y Camps, Royal Talens, and Taschen. The 'PIAB Award' aims to discover talented artists regardless of age or nationality and is established for artists demonstrating capabilities in various visual art fields.

As the recipient of the highest honor, the 'Grand Artist Award,' Kwon Ji-an will have opportunities to participate in various art projects at FIABCN and be invited to exhibitions in major cities worldwide such as Dubai and Tokyo, hosted by ICM Group Ltd. in 2022. She will also receive various prizes, certificates, and local promotions. Past winners include Spanish artist Ausust Vilella, who is now recognized as a world-renowned artist.

Meanwhile, Kwon Ji-an will hold a solo exhibition titled 'Soul Laundry' at Gallery Now in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from the 10th of this month until January 6th next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.