LONDON.-After receiving over 800 applications, The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation announced the short list for the Daiwa Foundation Art Prize:

Marcus Coates: His film, installation and performance art focuses on the relationship between humans and other species. Coates is currently exhibiting in the ‘Altermodern’ Tate Triennial at Tate Britain.

Adam Dant: Dant’s art practice involves pamphleteering, map making and large, narrative sepia-ink drawings. Already inspiring interest in Japan, Fuji TV International has made a documentary about Dant and his work.

Bedwyr Williams: Working in a variety of media, including performance and photography, Williams’ work communicates the misunderstandings and misreadings relating to cultural identity. Williams has exhibited extensively all over the world and is the winner of the 2005 Arts Council Creative Wales Award.

The prize offers artists a unique opportunity to gain an insight into Japan’s visual art sector. Works by all three artists will be exhibited at the Daiwa Foundation Japan House Gallery in London this June, where the winner will be announced on 16th June. As well as being awarded a £5,000 participation fee, the winning artist will be given the opportunity for a solo exhibition at the Tomio Koyama Gallery in Tokyo.

The diversity in the work chosen, as well as the artists originating from different areas of the UK, means the Daiwa Foundation Art Prize shortlist is truly representational of contemporary British art practice.

Professor Marie Conte-Helm (Director General of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation): ‘We are gratified by the tremendous response to this new initiative. Our expert judging panel has selected artists of high calibre from all corners of the visual arts. As an entrée to the Japanese art world, the Daiwa Foundation Art Prize has been recognized as a unique opportunity and one which underlines the Foundation\'s commitment to supporting links between Britain and Japan.’

Jonathan Watkins (Panel chair and Director of the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham): ‘The artists chosen represent the diverse cross disciplinary and cross generational practice that is representative of the current state of British art. The work has a universal appeal touching upon areas that transcend cultural boundaries, exposing issues of language, identity and fantasy.’

The short listed artists will exhibit their work at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London from 15 June – 17 July 2009 (Mon-Fri 9:30am -5:00pm).