The Edinburgh art teacher creating work on Ukraine and Gaza devastation after £20,000 award
Fund provides financial assistance for artists whose circumstances make it difficult to focus on and develop work
A painter who works full time as an art teacher has been awarded £20,000 to create a new large scale body of work examining the devastation caused by war in Ukraine and Gaza.
Mark H Lawrence has received the 2025 RSA MacRobert Art Award for Painting, funded by the MacRobert Trust and administered by the Royal Scottish Academy.
The award offers financial assistance for a committed painter whose circumstances have, for whatever reason, made it difficult to focus upon and develop their artistic talent.
Mr Lawrence, who works full time as an art teacher and devotes his evenings and weekends to painting, will receive £20,000 which will fund a 12-month period of research and development for a new body of work which will be exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy.
Mr Lawrence studied fine art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen before completing an MA at the University of East London. He later undertook a PGDE in art and design secondary education at the University of Edinburgh.
The MacRobert Award will provide him with the time, space and resources to expand his practice, allowing him to work full time as an artist and access a studio space.
He said: “I am so honoured to receive the RSA MacRobert Art Award and humbled at the faith shown in my project by the esteemed panellists from the RSA and the MacRobert Trust. To have the twelve months that the award affords me to immerse myself in painting and develop my practice is an amazing feeling and I'm very much looking forward to using and enjoying that time productively.
“Working alongside refugees of war, in art and in dialogue, will be a great support to my understanding of the effects of conflict on communities and will help to educate me as an artist and as a person.”
Mr Lawrence’s practice explores external influences on human life in the context and chaos of war, drawing on themes of displacement and loss. He uses oil paint to transform scenes of conflict into powerful visual statements.
The RSA MacRobert Art Award for Painting will allow him to develop a major new series of paintings entitled Is There Anything Else That Cannot Be Done?, focused on the devastation in Gaza and Ukraine. This body of work will deepen Lawrence’s exploration of human suffering, absence and resilience in the aftermath of conflict.
Through this work, he hopes to encourage reflection on the catastrophic consequences of war, developing a direct, emotional connection with the viewer.
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Gillian Currie, chief executive of the MacRobert Trust, said: “One of The MacRobert Trust’s key charitable pillars is to be an enabler of education, training and innovation, so we are delighted to support this award, which allows the recipient time to research and develop their ideas. Our congratulations to all the finalists who were short-listed for this year’s RSA MacRobert Art Award.”
Colin R Greenslade, RSA director, said: “We’d like to congratulate Mark H Lawrence on winning the 2025 RSA MacRobert Art Award. This award will provide crucial support for Mark, enabling him the resources to undertake this important project.‘The MacRobert Trust’s investment in this award recognises the importance of supporting artists and allows them to make considerable steps forward on their creative journeys.
“Our partnership with The MacRobert Trust reflects the Academy’s own commitment to nurturing creative talent through a diverse array of awards, travel and research opportunities, residencies and exhibitions, and we’re aware that this support has never been more vital.”
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