NEW YORK, NY — Bravo's creative competition, "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," returns Wednesday, October 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. This imaginative series is a creative synergy between the Emmy-winning producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz from the Magical Elves ("Top Chef," "Top Chef Masters"), Sarah Jessica Parker and Alison Benson from Pretty Matches and producer Eli Holzman. Assembled in New York City under the watchful eye of art world elites, fourteen up-and-coming artists are ready to make their mark on the industry and battle it out for a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and a cash prize of $100,000.

China Chow, host and judge, lends her artistic grace to the second season of Bravo's cutting-edge competition that brings fine art dialogue to the forefront of pop culture. Returning to the judging panel is Bill Powers, a New York Gallery owner and literary art contributor, as well as Jerry Saltz, senior art critic for New York Magazine. World-renowned art auctioneer Simon de Pury adds his voice of expertise as a mentor to the contestants.



This season the competition has grown fierce, with artists who graduated top of their class at Yale, studied under Marilyn Minter, and even had their work sold by Phillips de Pury Auction & Company. The challenges range from inventive street art to the use of Parkour, a discipline where participants overcome obstacles using only their bodies to move from point A to point B in the most creative way possible, as inspiration. Each week, the contestants are tasked to create an original artwork in the medium of their choice, including - but not limited to, painting, sculpture, photography, collage, industrial design and performance art.

Joining the expert panel each week are professional artists and tastemakers known for challenging the mold in the constantly evolving art world. Guest judges include Adam McEwen, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Kaws and Mary Ellen Mark.

Following are the 14 "Work of Art" Season 2 contestants:

• Bayeté Ross Smith - 34, Hometown: New York, NY
• Michelle - 29, Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ
• Dusty - 32, Hometown: Mountain View, AR
• Jazz-Minh Moore - 33, Hometown: New York, NY
• Kathryn Parker Almanas - 29, Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
• Kymia Nawabi - 30, Hometown: New York, NY
• Leon Lim - 31, Hometown: Kedah, Malaysia
• Lola - 24, Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
• Sara Jimenez - 26, Hometown: New York, NY
• Sarah Kabot - 34, Hometown: Cleveland, OH
• Sucklord - 41, Hometown: New York, NY
• Michael Tewz - 30, Hometown: Chicago, IL
• Ugo Nonis - 33, Hometown: Paris, France
• Young Sun Han - 28, Hometown: Morton Grove, IL

"Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," is produced by Pretty Matches and Magical Elves for Bravo. Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alison Benson and Eli Holzman serve as executive producers.