MEMPHIS, Tenn. (May 19, 2021) – Memphis International Airport (MEM) has announced the winners of its 14th annual High School Visual Arts and Photography Competition. The winners were announced as part of a virtual event, which can be accessed at https://youtu.be/EIq7CB5uK0M. Following are this year’s winners:

Paintings

• 1^stPlace: “A Levitt Picnic,” Meredith Dai, Collierville High School
• 2^ndPlace: “Through Her Eyes,” Hannah Thomas, Germantown High School
• 3^rd Place: “Colors of Memphis,” Vibha Duraikkannan, Collierville High School

Photographs

• 1^st Place: “Stars Over Memphis,” Andrew Cunningham, Bartlett High School
• 2^nd Place: “The Bluff,” Aria Battle, City University School of Liberal Arts
• 3^rd Place: “The Last Day, The Last Stay,” Emeri Thurman, Whitehaven High School

All finalists will receive a certificate and the winners will receive the following prizes:

• 1^st Place: $300
• 2^nd Place: $200
• 3^rd Place: $100

Prizes were provided by this year’s sponsors, including A&B Construction Company, Chris-Hill Construction, Flintco, Kimley-Horn, and UrbanARCH. The winners were selected by a panel of judges from the local art community, including representatives from the University of Memphis, the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery, UrbanArt Commission and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. There were nine judges this year.

The exhibition is part of the airport’s “Arts in the Airport” program. All public schools in Shelby County were invited to participate. The airport received 84 submissions for the art contest with 31 selected as finalists. There were 91 photography submissions, from which 20 finalists were chosen by the panel.

Students are provided art supplies by the airport’s community foundation for the contest, and the finalists’ pieces are displayed throughout the airport for one year. Most pieces are available for purchase by the public, and all proceeds go directly to the student artist. Some airport retailers may also sell items that feature students’ artwork, with proceeds from those sales going to help purchase art supplies for the contest.