Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest stories and updates.

Ever wanted to live the artsy, unrestrained New Yorker life of visiting art musuems and dining at poetry slam cafes? Well, UNIQLO’s ethos of making art accessible and enjoyable by all has fruited a brand new line of artsy T-shirts for you to proudly show off.

Dubbed the UT Grand Prix, last year’s UT Grand Prix 2020 was themed Draw Your World, held in collaboration with MoMA in New York.

Three internationally renowned artists whose work are featured in The Musuem of Modern Art (MoMA) art collection were invited on as contest judges for UNIQLO’s yearly T-shirt designing contest.

The winning design and its runner up.
(Credit: Uniqlo Malaysia)

Lawrence Weiner, Paula Scher, and Sarah Morris are all well-known for their contributions to the modern art world. In addition to contributing a design to the collection, they also reviewed designs submitted by aspiring artists around the world. Together, the panel selected nine winning works from numerous entries all over the world.

UNIQLO has been running the contest since 2005 to foster creativity and talent worldwide, with winning designs being turned into T-shirts to be sold globally. Their goal is to make art accessible and enjoyable to all.

The Grand Prix winner is Southeast Asian!

Isabel Santos from the Philippines impressed the judges by integrating elements of images from 1940s and 1950s comic books from around the world in her design.

The winning design by Isabel Santos.
(Credit: UNIQLO)

My approach philosophically was deconstruction and fragmentation. I took elements and shapes from images and combined them into a single picture. This is both bewilderingly chaotic and familiar. I like that feeling. I was also drawn to the notion printing on an entire shirt. I chose images from 1940s and 1950s comics from around the world.

Isabel Santos from the Philippines, Grand Prix 2020 winner

A total of 12 designs (6 each for men and women) will be up for grabs beginning 26th February 2021 at all UNIQLO stores nationwide or on their website. Like much of their other collections of designer T-shirts, these will cost you RM59.90.

The 3rd prize winner (blue) and the finalist design.
(Credit: UNIQLO)

Share your thoughts with us on TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.