XPPen Collaborates with Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize to Unveil Unique Aesthetic Potential of Artists
XPPen, the leading digital art innovation brand, is proud to announce its partnership with the 2025 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, one of the most respected international awards dedicated to representational visual arts. This year, XPPen is honored to sponsor five award categories, including the prestigious Digital Art Award, supporting creative artists whose work inspires and enriches the global art community.
Now in its 8th year, the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize continues to celebrate diversity and excellence across traditional, digital, and photographic media, spanning styles from realism and hyperrealism to pop surrealism and lowbrow. Founded in 2009 by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, the Prize has become a vital platform for artists often outside mainstream recognition. In 2025, entries for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize opened on February 10 and closed on July 17, with winners announced from September 12-23, 2025. The competition received 3,791 submissions from 110 countries, resulting in 175 finalists and 21 winners.
“We’re honored to collaborate with the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, a platform that reveals so many unique and imaginative artistic voices,” said Amy Yuan, Brand Director at XPPen. “At XPPen, we are committed to helping artists realize their creative potential and in supporting platforms that expand the language of art.”
“Giving the practices of representational artists validation and visibility, particularly in the commercial gallery and museum sector where it is still hard to get representation, is what the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize aims to achieve,” said Danijela Krha Purssey, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief.
Imagination Without Limits, Beauty Without Definition
As part of its sponsorship, XPPen is proud to support and reward five outstanding winners of the 2025 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. Each of these artists brings a distinctive voice and vision, reflecting the Prize’s mission of celebrating diversity in representational art:
● Catherine K Gyllerstrom Emerging Artist Award — Lara Hochreiter for He grew what couldn’t be spoken.
Through oil painting, Hochreiter explores the heart as a vessel of memory, identity, and emotional resilience.
● Digital Art Award – First Prize — Vini Naso for Hajime.
This hyperrealistic digital portrait merges mythology with modern aesthetics, inviting viewers to reconnect with the natural world.
● Digital Art Award – Second Prize — Magloire Morgane for The Last Kiss.
Morgane portrays the poignant final embrace of lovers, capturing both tenderness and tragedy in a single moment.
● Digital Art Award – Third Prize — Lin Gökshin for Alabörü.
Drawing on mixed-media techniques, Gökshin depicts a mystical shaman lost in sorrow and guided by the shadows of a winter night.
● People’s Choice Award — Nicole Sánchez Ilzenhöfer for Nectar.
Ilzenhöfer creates a fantastical still life where blossoms burst from a honeycomb vase dripping with golden nectar, balancing surreal color with meticulous realism.
To recognize their achievements, XPPen is honored to present the winners with a selection of its latest professional creative tools, including the Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2), Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2), Magic Drawing Pad, and Deco Pro (Gen 2) MW. All of these devices feature a groundbreaking 16K pressure levels, offering 100% higher sensitivity than traditional models, enabling smoother, more precise lines and hyper-nuanced creation. Designed to empower artists at every stage of their creative journey, XPPen’s product lineup caters to both beginners and seasoned professionals. From the intuitive Magic Drawing Pad, featuring the X-Paper Display for a traditional drawing experience, to the latest XPPen product lineup equipped with advanced features like 4K resolution and X-Touch touch screens, these tools are designed to meet the diverse needs of different users and creative scenarios, making cutting-edge technology accessible to all.
Art and Creation Without End, Staying True to Your Vision
At XPPen, we believe that art is a limitless journey of imagination and self-expression. By partnering with platforms like the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, we hope to shine a light on diverse creative practices and give artists the tools they need to bring their visions to life. Witnessing extraordinary works from across the globe reinforces our mission to support every artist’s unique pursuit of beauty and meaning.
Looking ahead, XPPen will continue to champion artists worldwide, helping them unlock their creative potential and present richer, more inspiring works to audiences everywhere.
For more about XPPen’s creative tools and initiatives, visit: https://www.xp-pen.com/