We are thrilled to unveil ‘The Charlotte’, the bronze-cast sculpture created by acclaimed artist Ann Christopher RA FRSS. This compelling, limited-edition work of art, commissioned and funded by the Charlotte Aitken Trust, will be presented to the winner of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
Chosen after a competition arranged in association with the Royal Society of Sculptors, the British charity which promotes excellence in the art and practice of sculpture, Ann Christopher’s abstract design was meticulously crafted in resin, before being cast in bronze and coated with a patina to achieve a rusty red hue. This sculpture will be re-cast annually by a specialist British-based foundry and presented to each year’s winner of the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
The Charlotte joins The Bessie, the prize awarded to the winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
I was thrilled to have been chosen to create “The Charlotte’, an award for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. The non-fiction book will by default contain information which will reward the inquisitive mind of the reader – a voyage of discovery. As a non-figurative sculptor, I absorb and re-interpret the visual world around me and on this occasion, I have produced a small sculpture with textures echoing rock strata and a shape that nods to ancient tools. The final bronze sculpture being patinated a deep rusty red. Figurative and non-figurative art provide a lens through which the viewer may see the world in a different way, similar to non-fiction or fiction. I am delighted that my sculpture has now become part of this non-fiction world.
Ann Christopher, RA FRSS, Sculptor
Ann Christopher has created a compelling piece of art that brilliantly encapsulates the timeless nature of knowledge and storytelling. Presented for the first time this year, a sister to ‘The Bessie’, it will be a wonderful moment to celebrate the past and the present working together to honour women’s creativity in both literature and art.
Kate Mosse CBE, novelist, non-fiction writer and Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction
The Charlotte Aitken Trust would like to thank Ann Christopher for her energisingly beautiful design in creating ‘The Charlotte’. We would also like to thank the Royal Society of Sculptors for the role they played in steering us through this fascinating creative process. It’s been an enlightening experience working together to celebrate women’s creativity in both art and literature and we look forward to seeing ‘The Charlotte’ on the podium next to ‘The Bessie’ on 13 June and in the years to come.
Rachel Cugnoni, Grant Director of the Charlotte Aitken Trust
