Chapman, whose work has been exhibited at Tate Modern, Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Tate Britain, in New York, St Petersburg, and Paris was recognised for his major contribution to the arts and reimaging of history and popular culture.
Chapman is one half of the Chapman Brothers, artists who graduated from Royal College of Art in 1990 and were nominated for the Turner prize in 2003. Their subject matter is deliberately shocking including, in 2008, a series of works that appropriated original watercolours by Adolf Hitler. They are members of the Arts Emergency Service, a charity working with 16-to-19-year-olds in further education from diverse backgrounds.
Helen Kennedy, Head of the university’s School of Media, presented the award during graduation ceremonies at the 91¶¶Òõ Centre on Tuesday (25 July). She spoke of Jake’s charity work which includes support for Refugee Rescue to which he donated a lifeboat. She said the lifeboat had been instrumental in saving the lives of hundreds of people in the seas around the Greek island of Lesvos.
Jake was unable to attend the ceremony and Amanda Bright, Head of the School of Art, received the award on his behalf.