Scottish artist Anya Gallaccio wins Robson Orr TenTen Award 2025

Acclaimed Scottish artist Anya Gallaccio has been announced as the winner of the Robson Orr TenTen Award 2025 by the Government Art Collection. Her new work, eight hours of whale song, was unveiled by Museums and Cultural Property Minister Baroness Twycross, who praised the piece for its ability to connect the natural world with human experience and highlight global environmental challenges.

Unveiling of Anya Gallaccio, eight hours of whale song, 2025 for the Government Art Collection. Photo credit David Parry PA Media Assignments.

Gallaccio’s print was inspired by the communication systems of whales and the pioneering work of 19th-century Welsh singer Margaret Watts Hughes. The artist played eight hours of recorded whale song through a drum covered in pigment, allowing the movement of the sound to create the image that formed the basis of the print. The resulting work was produced using a combination of relief and pyrogravure (wood burning) techniques, capturing both the rhythm and texture of the whale song in visual form.

The Robson Orr TenTen Award, now in its eighth year, commissions a British artist annually to create a limited-edition print. Fifteen editions are displayed in government buildings and embassies worldwide, while the remaining eleven are sold to support the Government Art Collection’s acquisition fund, which helps acquire works by under-represented artists. Previous winners have included notable figures such as Hurvin Anderson, Tacita Dean, Yinka Shonibare, and Lubaina Himid.

Alongside the commission, the Government Art Collection has developed a Key Stage 3 learning resource based on Gallaccio’s print. Part of the Picture This: The Robson Orr Visual Literacy Research Initiative, the resource allows teachers to explore ideas across the curriculum, including ways to make sound visible and to develop students’ non-verbal communication skills. The initiative, a collaboration with the University of Oxford and Art UK, seeks to measure the impact of visual literacy on young people’s future success.

Unveiling of Anya Gallaccio, eight hours of whale songs, 2025 for the Government Art Collection. (Left to right) Sybil Robson Orr, Baroness Twycross, Anya Gallaccio and Matthew Orr. Photo credit David Parry PA Media Assignments.

Gallaccio’s eight hours of whale song will be displayed in British government buildings and embassies around the world, offering the public a unique opportunity to experience her work in official spaces. For collectors and art enthusiasts, a limited number of editions are available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the Government Art Collection’s acquisition fund, which helps bring more under-represented artists into the collection. To purchase an edition of eight hours of whale song, contact Phoebe Roberts at phoebe@thomasdane.com.