Review: The Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2016

The artwork selected for the Columbia Threadneedle Prize exhibition at the Mall Galleries is different from previous years - and I like it a lot better.

Threadneedle Prize Exhibition: A view of the Main Galleryprior to the Preview

Compared to previous years, the changes I noticed are that

• the art - to my mind - is a lot more accessible. This is an exhibition which will be enjoyed by more people.
• there's a huge diversity in interpretation of figurative and representational art. I'm guessing a lot of artists may well find it stimulates their own work. 
• more drawings and paintings of figures and people

Some very strong paintings of figures - both large....

...and small

• a lot of very good drawings and display of draughtsmanship
• more monochromatic artwork - with a great hang in the North Gallery

Some impressive monochromatic and near mono drawings and paintings in the Far North Gallery

• more works on paper 
• media is much more mixed
• a lot less sculpture

only one piece of sculpture that I spotted

• a much better fit with most people's understanding of figurative artwork

First Prize on the left; shortlisted on the right

This is also an exhibition which deserves to be seen by many of people who exhibit and who seek to exhibit artwork at the open exhibitions of the FBS Societies (and others) at the Mall Galleries because it stretches the boundaries of figurative while remaining accessible to all.

North Gallery - First room

North Gallery - second room

To my mind it sets a very good benchmark for contemporary figurative art.

It's also complemented by an extremely good exhibition in the Threadneedle Space.

I'm certainly thinking about going back for another look - and I've already seen it twice!

I'll be posting more pics from the exhibitions of artists with their paintings and purchasers with their new paintings on my Facebook Page over the next week.

More about the Threadneedle Prize 2016

• The Columbia Threadneedle Prize - Call for Entries (July 2015) - The Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2016: Overview of the Call For Entries and the changes since the last time this competition was run in 2014.
• Selected Artists - The Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2016 (Nov 2015) - Overview of the artists selected for The ColumbiaThreadneedle Prize 2016 - including images and links to artists' websites.
• The Columbia Threadneedle Prize 2016: Shortlisted Artists (Dec. 2015) - Images of the shortlisted paintings for the ThreadneedlePrize 2016 and profiles of their artists.
• Lewis Hazelwood-Horner wins £20000 Threadneedle Prize 2016 (February 2016) - Introducing the winner of the £20000 2016 Columbia ThreadneedleAward for contemporary figurative and representational art
• Threadneedle Exhibition 2016 - my favourites - this also includes links to the previous exhibitions and my previous posts about the Threadneedle Prize.