Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 Winners Tobi Onabolu and Sam Metz Announced Alongside Future Tense Exhibition

The Main Prize was awarded to Tobi Onabolu for his work, Danse Macabre, which fuses Yoruba Egúngún masquerades with elements of European cinema and experimental music to delve into themes of spirituality and mental health. Sam Metz earned the Emerging Prize for his installation, Porosity, which is a yellow piece that captures the sensory experience of the Humber Estuary through the lenses of neurodivergence and ocular albinism. Both artists will showcase their works at the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2025, taking place at York Art Gallery from 19 September 2025 to 25 January 2026. This exhibition features 25 shortlisted artists and includes a parallel display titled Future Tense: Art in the Age of Transformation. Since its inception in 2007, the prize has honored numerous artists, with submissions closing on 30 September for opportunities in exhibition, publication, and a £10,000 award.