The Guthrie Award is awarded annually with few exceptions to at most two recipients by the Royal Scottish Academy and is one of the most prestigious art awards in Scotland. It is named after the artist James Guthrie.
Foundation of award
The award was founded in 1920. It was to commemorate the presidency of the Royal Scottish Academy by James Guthrie. It is awarded for the most outstanding work adjudged in the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition of the year to artists under the age of 35 (although the joint winner of the first award David Macbeth Sutherland was around 37 in 1920).
Scottish-based
It is usual for the award to go to a painting and its artist, but occasionally sculptures and sculptors have also won. In 2021 the award was won by the artist and film-maker Emily Beaney for an experimental documentary. The award is open to any nationality, but the exhibition participants must be based and active in Scotland. The 1994 winner Joe Fan was originally from Hong Kong; the 2008 winner Trine Pedersen was originally from Denmark; the 2023 winner Daniel Nelis is originally from Ireland.
Members and non-members of the RSA
The under 35 age requirement and the sheer number of exhibits - now around 600 annually - mean that the Guthrie Award is difficult to win more than once; however this has been done: by Heather Ross in 2006 and 2007; and by Julie-Ann Simpson in 2014 and 2019. Non-members of the RSA can apply to be in the Open exhibition, although around only a couple of hundred non-member exhibits make it through annually from the thousands of applications received, as around 400 exhibits are reserved for members.
Prize monies and medals
Usually the award is awarded singularly, but on occasion the award has gone to joint winners. The award, originally made by an anonymous donor but in 1930 revealed to be the late (17th) Earl of Moray, who gave a monetary value on the capital endowment of £1000 as well as the honour of the award. Nowadays a medal is also presented. In its early years, the monetary award was £50. Today the award monies stand at £750. If the award is shared, the prize monies are also shared. List of Guthrie Award winners
The List of Guthrie Award winners is a list of artists who have won the award.
Year Winning Artist 1 Work 1 Winning Artist 2 Work 2 Notes1920Kate Campbell MuirheadElizabethDavid Macbeth SutherlandThe Painting StudentMuirhead's work was a bust sculpture, Sutherland's work a painting.1921Cecile WaltonTo Nobody Knows Where 1922John Rankine BarclayThe Artist's Wife 1923James Wallace FergusonA Visitor 1924Donald MoodieAutumn DayGeorge William SalvesenThe DanceMoodie for a painting, Salvesen for a sculpture.1925Laelia Armine CockburnA Rough Lot for Sale 1926David Shanks EwartThe Toilers 1927Ancell StronachThe Unexpected Meeting 1928William CrozierThe 'Cello PlayerMargaret FindlayThe BathersFindlay's work a sculpture, Crozier's work a painting.1929William LambFerryden Fisher Wife A sculpture.1930Robert SivellMiss Jean O. H. Morton1931Ian CampbellSelf Portrait 1932Alister MaitlandAlice Ann He was noted at the time as the youngest winner, aged 21.1933Thomas WhalenThe Amazon For 3 sculpture works The Amazon, Mother's Kisses, and Torso.1934William WilsonThe Alcazar, Segovia For a group of Wilson's work. The named piece was a drawing. Wilson was a noted engraver.1935James McIntosh PatrickMarion 1936Alexander George OliphantDavid Kerr Esq. 1937Mary Nicol Neill ArmourCantaloupe 1938Ian FlemingThe Painters: McBryde and Colquhoun 1939William Drummond BoneLeisure 1940Scott SutherlandLabor Vincit A sculpture.1941David Abercrombie DonaldsonAlfred 1942James Alan DavieBrenda Mark 1943Alberto MorroccoLeonColin GibsonLisbeth1944Margaret Kennedy MackenziePietaGordon Stewart CameronBoy with AppleMackenzie's work was sculpture, Cameron's work was a painting.1945Robert Henderson BlythWinter in Walkerburn, 1939 1946George William Lennox PatersonFrank Tweedie and the Birds 1947James HillocksPortrait of my Mother 1948Sinclair ThomsonThe White Shawl 1949Alistair J. T. PatersonStill Life 1950Tom M. MacnairJean Hannan A terracotta sculpture of a head.1951Robin PhilipsonBrenda, Spring Portrait 1952Ellen MalcolmPortrait of a Young Man 1953William Alexander BurnsSunday 1954Ann HendersonComposition A sculpture.1955Brenda CloustonYouth A sandstone sculpture.1956David McClure? McClure exhibited five works:- Harbour, Millport; The Green Hill; Trees, Millport; Self portrait; and Flowers At A Window.1957Brenda MarkFigures In Moonlight 1958Margot SandemanThe Walk Across The Fields 1959Jean Fleming?Landscape painting 1960John HoustonPigeons and VillageDavid Alan Redpath MichieRed Flower1961William Hunter LittlejohnPainting 1960 Littlejohn had 3 paintings at the exhibition; the other two being White Glass and Green Bottle, each a still life work. Littlejohn considered that it was his abstract work Painting 1960 that had won the Guthrie Award.1962Elizabeth BlackadderStill Life on a White Table Blackadder had another two works: Auray; and Breton Church.1963Alex CampbellRehearsal 1964Bill ScottSeated Figure A sculpture.1965Robert CallenderLudo 1966George Alexander Macpherson? 1967Archibald Dunbar McIntosh?1968John KnoxSwing and Stool - After Uccello 1969Alexander FraserShankar at the Blue Piggery 1970Leon MorroccoFigure in a Bedroom 1971Ian McKenzie SmithReflections (Harbour) 1972Frances PellyGreenheart Woman 1973George DonaldVirginia's Quilt A padded canvas work.1974??1975??1976 Award withheld.1977Barbara RaeSea Dreamers 1978Ian HowardMisdirection 1979Ronald Forbes? Forbes exhibited two works: All Set; and Scarecrow1980??1981Martin ChurchillPalace Hotel 1982John Mooney? 1983Ian Robertson?1984Lennox DunbarSweep 1985David CookFooled You 1986?? 1987Fiona DeanStill Life With Work Objects 1988?? 1989Jacqui Miller NixonWarrior 1990Joseph Davie? Davie submitted two works:- A Journal Of The Blackout: Unwelcome Heroes; and The Spirit Of The Community1991??1992??1993David Hosie? 1994Joe FanIn Evil Hours 1995Philip Braham? 1996Robbie BusheLaughing Boys, Tomorrow They Will Be Gone 1997Stephen Mangan? 1998Barry McGlashan?1999Alasdair WallaceField 2000Delia BaillieFantasies of the Dustbin 2001Kevin Dagg? A sculpture.2002?? 2003?? 2004Steven MacIver? 2005?? 2006Heather Ross? 2007Heather Ross? 2008Trine Pedersen? 2009Sharon Thomas? 2010??2011Briony Anderson? 2012??2013??2014Julie-Ann SimpsonAmong Silver Birches2015Georgia Rose MurrayRainbow Trout Cormorant Noir 2016Emily MooreFirst Lift, Last Lift 2017Kristina ChanLeith Theatre, The Stage A laser etched woodcut.2018Ed CompsonShutterstock Infinity Klee An oil & laser etching on board.2019Julie-Ann SimpsonStings To Be Gathered 2020 Online exhibition due to coronavirus pandemic2021Emily BeaneyBreaking the FallA trilogy of experimental documentaries.2022Claire MooreThe Murder of Mr Muster 2023Daniel NelisDark Turned Fields 2024Rae-Yen SongSong Dynasty Beast Sculptural costume2025James HowdenTyrant Sculpture
References