The 2021 Marsh Award for the Encouragement of Medallic Art is to be awarded to Dauvit Alexander, Birmingham School of Jewellery. The BAMS President Medal is to be awarded to Iranian artist, Parviz Tanavoli. Both have been supporters of the Student Medal Project.

Dauvit Alexander

Soon after taking up his teaching post at Birmingham School of Jewellery, Dauvit set about organising a medal symposium as an introduction to medals and the BAMS Student Medal Project at the School. He gave his own time to set up an evening medal club to get the students thinking about medals as an art form and turning their ideas to reality.  The resulting SMP submissions were very impressive.  In 2017 he organised another medal symposium with an excellent exhibition of student medals, and hosted the SMP prize-giving that year.  His enthusiasm for the scheme, and holding medal-related events, brought the project to life and gave students the chance to meet established medal-makers and collectors of the art form. BAMS is pleased to recognise Dauvit’s passion for bringing the art of medal-making to new generations.

Parviz Tanavoli

A towering figure in Middle Eastern art and an inspiration to young artists. Iranian born artist Parviz Tanavoli was commissioned to make a medal for BAMS resulting in Hands and Grille in 2006. He taught sculpture / art / metalwork at the University in Tehran, and subsequently taught young artists in his own studio. His students have taken part in the Student Medal Project on three occasions, creating a very active interest in medal-making in Iran.