Clifford Chance

Louise Ward Morris receives the Clifford Chance/University of the Arts London (UAL) Sculpture Award 2022

The Clifford Chance/University of the Arts London (UAL) Sculpture Award 2022 has been presented to Louise Ward Morris who received an MA in Fine Art with distinction from Central Saint Martins in 2021.

The £3,750 award is open to proposals from all post-graduate students at UAL's constituent colleges and offers the selected artist the opportunity to display their sculpture in the Reception of Clifford Chance's offices for six months. The Award is presented to the proposal that best responds to the firm's offices on the Canary Wharf estate and to our ESG commitments.

Louise Ward Morris is a visual artist who works with experimental videos, digital animations, sculptural installations, and computer networks to question the ever-intensifying connection between people and technology. For Clifford Chance, she proposed an investigative and artistic project that studies technological obsolescence, recycling and innovation in repair. Two physicaldigital sculptures, Spares and Repairs and Job Lot, will be constructed from outdated mobile phones, selfie sticks, and redundant LED TVs.

Mark Payne, Chair of the Clifford Chance art committee, said: 'The Committee was unanimous in selecting Louise's proposal for our Client Reception. They are bright, colourful and visually arresting as well as original and thought provoking. They have the added benefit of drawing you in for a closer look. We particularly enjoyed how her proposed sculptures blend physical and digital artmaking practices to expand our view of sculpture – a first for us.' Louise's work deconstructs everyday technology to reveal the wide range of materials and processes that lie behind their manufacture, raising questions about sustainability, redundancy and lack of renovation and repair of consumer goods, whilst considering the aesthetics of these component parts and their presentation as a sculptural installation.

The winning artist Louise Ward Morris said: 'It has been a tremendous privilege to receive the Clifford Chance Sculpture Award. This exceptional opportunity has given me the freedom to experiment, create and develop artistically in ways that would be impossible otherwise. In response to the spacious exhibition area and generous award, I have increased the scale and ambition of my CLIFFORD CHANCE LLP artwork, and I found great purpose in exploring crucial contemporary topics like technological obsolescence and recycling alongside wider conversations on climate change.'

Through our annual Sculpture Award, now in its 17th year, Clifford Chance is delighted to demonstrate our ongoing support for the creative artists completing their studies at the University of the Arts London’s constituent art colleges.