The work of Gibraltarian interdisciplinary artist Hannah Cavilla Latin was recently awarded two prizes in the Spring Visual Arts Competition hosted by Gibraltar Cultural Services. Hannah took the Ministry of Culture Award for Overall Winner for her painting ’005’ and the Video Award for her ‘How To Sit In A Gallery Space: A Short Guide’.

Hannah, who started exhibiting locally since first entering the Spring Visual Arts Competition in 2023, is currently based in Edinburgh where she has just completed a degree in art.

We caught up with her to ask about her artistic background and inspiration and how it felt to win the big prize…

YGTV: What did you feel when you found out you had won two prizes—the Overall Winner Award and the Video Award?

Hannah Cavilla Latin: I was absolutely delighted! As an interdisciplinary artist, having two different elements of my creative practice be recognised is incredibly meaningful. I’m so grateful for the awards and I feel encouraged to continue on this path.

YGTV: With artists on both sides of your family, how important have your background and upbringing been to your artistic creativity?

Hannah Cavilla Latin: Art has always been something I’ve been encouraged to explore. I’m fortunate to have been brought up around artists and in creative spaces; this exposure has definitely influenced my attitude towards art. My background in dance has also shaped my practice; Art In Movement has been a second home to me and has inspired me to explore the body as a medium. As I continue to develop work, I recognise that these aspects of my life have fuelled my interest in creative expression.

YGTV: In your winning piece ’005’, what were you trying to achieve?

Hannah Cavilla Latin: In ’005’ I was experimenting with the process of intuitive mark-making. I’m interested in working with and abstracting space, and this manifests in a range of media. This particular piece is inspired by cracks in the pavement and themes of liminality, drawing heavily from the paintings of artist Graeme Todd. The creative intention was to explore a playful process, from which a composition could emerge organically.

YGTV: Which artists—both living and dead—do you most admire and why?

Hannah Cavilla Latin: I admire the work of artists such as Pina Bausch, Sophie Calle, Francesca Woodman and Andrei Tarkovsky. The Judson Dance Theatre and the Fluxus movement are also inspirations. I find myself influenced by artists who approach ideas with conceptual and material fluidity, as they inspire me to keep an expansive and open practice.

For more information about Hannah’s work, visit her online portfolio at: https://hcavillalatin.myportfolio.com

Pics: Above: Hannah Cavilla Latin. Below: ‘005’, the piece that won the top award and other works from her portfolio.