Michael Armitage’s new print for the Government Art Collection

Since 2018, the UK’s Government Art Collection has been annually commissioning a British artist to create a print for The Robson Orr TenTen Award.

This year, in collaboration with Outset Contemporary Art Fund and the support of Sybil Robson Orr and Matthew Orr, the Government Art Collection has commissioned Michael Armitage to create a limited edition print. The print will be showcased in UK government buildings around the globe.

Armitage’s new lithograph, Ngaben (2023), pays homage to a late friend of his who lived in Bali. ‘Ngaben’ refers to a Hindu cremation ceremony practised in Bali, and the print itself illustrates the intimate cycle of life.

Reflecting on Ngaben, Armitage has said, ‘Culture exists in the most difficult moments of people’s lives, at points at which they grieve and points at which they experience loss; it exists in celebration; it’s a reminder that we’re not here as isolated individuals, we’re here as something greater, and we have a responsibility to each other.' He adds, 'For me, that’s really what it is to be an artist […] It’s a very hard thing to quantify but it’s entirely necessary.’

Find out more about the print and the award here.