Art's Future Echoes Past Masters and Modern Struggles

The nominees for the 2026 Film London Jarman awards showcase a compelling blend of historical inspiration and contemporary relevance in moving image art. This year's shortlist of four artists—Sadia Pineda Hameed, Ilona Sagar, Rhea Storr, and Alia Syed—will compete for the £10,000 prize.

Hameed's work, "Anak Where Did We Stay?", merges family footage with historical archives to explore migration, referencing an 18th-century portrait. Alia Syed, a veteran experimental filmmaker, contributes work drawing from personal history, while Rhea Storr's "New Territories (Spectacle Is King)" examines UK carnivals, responding to a seminal 1984 documentary.

Ilona Sagar's film, "The Body Blow", is named after a 1962 radio ballad and delves into asbestos-related illnesses. The jury lauded the artists for their singular vision and deeply researched, poetically sensitive works. Previously, award recipients have gone on to achieve Turner Prize recognition.

An exhibition of the shortlisted artists' work will be held at the Whitechapel Gallery in London from November 17 to December 13, 2026, preceding the award ceremony on November 24, 2026, where the winner will be announced.