Stephen Hayes Wins 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art

Stephen Hayes, instructor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies, won the Gibbes Museum of Arts's 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art. Awarded each year by the museum in Charleson, South Carolina, the prize "recognizes the highest level of artistic achievement in any media" by artists from the U.S. South.

“Thank you to the Gibbes Museum and Society 1858 for the honor of receiving the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art,” said Hayes. "I initially began creating as a way to impress my mom and brother and now I use my works to tell stories, connect people across generations and ignite intercultural dialogue. I am passionate about my work, so seeing it also resonate with others makes the endless hours of work worth it.”

“Amidst the challenges of 2020, Society 1858 and the Gibbes are thrilled to be able to continue celebrating the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art,” said Angela Mack, executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art. “We are also excited to announce Stephen as this year’s winner. His creations contribute to the understanding of the South and demonstrate a powerful vision from an artist on the forefront of contemporary southern art. We were extremely impressed by all of the finalists this year and would like to thank everyone who submitted an application for the Society 1858 Prize.”

Read more at the Gibbes Museum website.