Fine artist scoops historic prize

First it was bronze, clay and marble. More recently sculptors have worked in anything from plastic to food stuffs. But Manchester may have the first sculpture made out of bean bags!

Liz Daly’s modern creation is this year’s winner of the 140-year-old Manchester Academy of Fine Arts Prize.

The 22-year-old, a student on Manchester Metropolitan University’s Fine Art degree course, won the Young Sculptor of the year prize, with her stunning creation.

‘Olive Trees’ consists of three large hanging white ‘structures’ in fabric, filled with thousands of tiny beans. To shape the bags against the gravity pull of the beans, Liz had to insert supporting tubes inside the fabric.

Said Liz, from Shropshire, The response to the sculpture has been wonderful. They draw people in to touch them like you would touch a strange rock or the trunk of a beautiful tree.”

She says she was inspired to recreate the spirit of the olive tree after a holiday in Greece.

Liz’s course tutor Keith Brown, who also won a prize for his bronze sculpture shown earlier at the Royal Academy, said: “Liz is an exceptional talent. This was a competition not only for students but for young working artists and she has impressed everyone.”

The Manchester Academy of Fine Arts exhibition is at Salford Art Gallery until May 7.