National recognition for York St John Fine Art student  

Fine Art at York St John University is in the national spotlight after student Tom Hardwick was awarded the Association for Art History’s 2024 Undergraduate Dissertation Prize. 

This prestigious national award recognises outstanding academic work by undergraduate and postgraduate students across the UK. Entries are judged based on originality, research and method, and form and content. The postgraduate award went to Fergus Bovill from the University of Oxford. 

Tom’s dissertation, “The Re-Materialisation of Art: Reframing Conceptual Art through the Work of Hanne Darboven”, offers a compelling analysis of Darboven’s Calendar Drawings, challenging traditional narratives that position conceptual art in opposition to materiality and physical labour. The study also addresses the gendered bias of Conceptual art, drawing attention to Darboven’s role as a woman working within a male-dominated context. 

A graduate of York St John’s BA (Hons) Fine Art, Tom is now continuing their studies on the University’s MFA Fine Art programme. 

Tom Hardwick said:  

“I am very honoured to have been awarded the AAH Undergraduate Dissertation Prize, and grateful for all the support I have received in developing this dissertation, especially from my supervisor, Dr Kyveli Lignou-Tsamantani.  

“I never expected to receive this award, so it came as an amazing validation for all the hard work I have put in over the last three years of my degree. I have gone on to continue into a Master’s in Fine Art at York St John, and I am so excited to see where this academic journey takes me.” 

This award is particularly meaningful given that Tom has a fine art background while It reflects the strength of the University’s Fine Art provision and its commitment to fostering research-led creative practice.  

Dr Kyveli Lignou-Tsamantani, Lecturer in Art History and Theory and Tom’s dissertation supervisor, said: 

“Tom’s dissertation project was informed by rigorous research and made a valuable contribution to current debates within the field. Their analysis of Darboven’s work was both critically engaged and theoretically astute.  

“Tom’s success is a testament to their dedication and to the high-quality teaching and support available at York St John University. I’m very pleased to see this prestigious award go to an outstanding student from a university dedicated to equality of opportunity. 

“We are delighted to be able to accompany Tom in their postgraduate MFA studies and look forward to seeing what their future endeavours will be.” 

Helen Turner, Associate Head: Fine Art, Illustration & Photography, said:  

“We are extremely proud of Tom’s achievement in gaining this prestigious award. They worked incredibly hard, were receptive to their supervisor’s expert advice and developed their project into an excellent dissertation.

"I also want to thank the Fine Art staff who offer all the students a rich curriculum that enables and encourages students to succeed at the highest levels.” 

The award was presented during the 2025 Annual Conference of the Association for Art History. 

Read about the Fine Art course at York St John University, currently available in Clearing. 

Image shows Tom Hardwick receiving their award. Credit: Athina Dale.