Two of this year’s Critics’ Circle awards for Visual Arts and Architecture have been created by ECA graduate Rosina Payan Pecorelli.
Rosina was commissioned to create the awards after her graduation collection was spotted at New Designers in London by journalist, critic and curator Corinne Julius. Both awards are designed to be worn, made from mild steel and bio resin with embedded magnets.
At a ceremony held at the National Gallery in London on 14 January, the principal Critics’ Circle’s award was presented to artist and stage designer Es Devlin, with the Unsung Hero Award going to Tracy Jones, founder of Brera PR, for her work to promote small museums and galleries.
Rosina (BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing, 2025), said Ms Julius had contacted her via ECA programme director Jennifer Gray, to ask her to work on the pieces: “It's a big honour to have someone remember and recognise my style of working as appropriate for this award.
“When Corinne contacted me, she made clear that it was my work with steel and magnetised resin that she was particularly interested in. My graduation pieces included a kind of wearable sculpture arrangement which became brooches, inspired by brutalist architecture and geometric form.
“In creating the awards, I was inspired by the work of Es Devlin, who uses bold geometric form in her set designs. I wanted to create something which she would enjoy so I made sure to incorporate that into my designs. I also wanted to keep the awards true to my own style, slotted steel, patina and making sure they were wearable objects.
“For the smaller Unsung Hero award I was given an idea of what the wearer likes aesthetically, the colour red and leopard print, which I could interpret in my own way.
“Luckily they were received well and I ended up having a really lovely evening at the awards ceremony. I met some really interesting people and had some great conversations.”
Rosina is now developing her skills as part of the current residential cohort at Bishopsland Educational Trust. She said her degree at ECA had stood her in great stead for her unfolding career, with the College continuing to be a source of support: “My time at ECA has been invaluable to my practice as a whole, largely due to the fact I had an amazing team of tutors around me who encouraged me to explore materials and utilise all the tools and equipment available at my fingertips.
“I still feel I can reach out to them as a post graduate and was even supported through this commission by Jenny who answered any of my questions. I was also lucky to have a supportive and loving peer group on my course. As there were only six of us we all helped each other grow and I know we will be seeing each other through our individual creative paths for life. My tutors Heather Woof, Jenny Gray, Susan Cross, Mirka Janeckova and our tech Gary Grobler are who made ECA for me.”
