Azerbaijani artist Aysha Nagiyeva became winner of Wolfson College Painting Competition 2026 of the University of Oxford.
The competition featured more than 250 entries from artists of all ages, exploring a broad range of themes, ideas and experiences. The judges were greatly impressed by the variety and vitality of the submissions and particularly enjoyed discovering the fascinating stories and sources of inspiration behind each work.
Aysha graduated from City & Guilds of London Art School in 2021 with First Class Honours in Fine Art. Her winning submission, Ten of Cups II (oil on canvas), formed part of her 2023 solo exhibition, Major Arcana. The painting continues Aysha’s exploration of the Nevalyashka doll, both as a culturally resonant object and as a personal talisman. In her work, the doll becomes a vessel through which she examines how images and memories are inherited, carried forward and transformed by personal experience.
In Ten of Cups II, Aysha seeks to capture a sense of abundance through colour and composition while introducing an underlying note of instability. The figures appear suspended in a moment when everything is temporarily in place, yet there remains a sense that the balance could shift at any moment.