LONDON.- Channel 4 and The Saatchi Gallery announced that Oliver Beer is the winner of this year's New Sensations prize. The prize is open to art students graduating from BA and MA courses in the UK in 2009, and 20 shortlisted students are currently presenting their work in an exhibition in London on until 19 October. Oliver Beer graduated from the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, and his work was chosen by judges Gavin Turk, artist; Ralph Rugoff, director of the Hayward Gallery, London; critic Louisa Buck; and Alison Jacques, owner of Alison Jacques Gallery in London.

New Sensations was launched in 2007 by Channel 4 and The Saatchi Gallery to find the most imaginative and talented artists graduating in the UK and to support students leaving art college. In 2007 and 2008 shortlisted students sold their work and were offered exhibitions as a result of the competition.

An exhibition of the 20 shortlisted graduates is at the A Foundation at the Rochelle School in Shoreditch (9-19 October). Four finalists were given a bursary to make a new work to present at the exhibition, and each of these 'New Sensations' has had a 3 Minute Wonder Channel 4 film made about them which were aired on Channel 4 from 5-8 October. The other finalists are: Andreas Blank, Royal College of Art, London; Nick Goss, Royal Academy Schools, London; and Regine Petersen, Royal College of Art, London.

As a sponsor of New Sensations 2009, Moncler will invite one of the shortlisted artists to make a new work based on its duck logo: a pop operation with an ultra-contemporary twist which involves entrusting a piece of itself to the inventive talents of an artist. All proceeds from the sale of this work will go to a children's charity. Moncler will announce the artist they have selected in October 2009.