A top art blog for artists and art lovers: news about major art competitions and exhibitions, interviews with artists, techniques and tips for art and business
The Art of Collecting opens at the Mall Galleries tomorrow (until 6th July). It comprises displays of selected works from four different and important private art collections in the UK - plus it has a room devoted to paintings by important women artists in those four collections.
The Fleming Collection
This year the Fleming Collection is celebrating 50 years of collecting Scottish art from the seventeenth century to the present day; including many of the greatest names in Scottish art. The collection is now owned by the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation which pursues a "museum without walls" strategy
to initiate exhibitions of Scottish art outside Scotland
to promote and understanding and awareness of Scottish art through various activities
Part of the Fleming Collection on display - including a painting by Joan Eardley
The Jerwood Collection
The Jerwood Collection is currently celebrating 25 years since the purchase of its first work. It promotes the public display of this private collection of British Art from the 20th and 21st centuries through a number of initiatives including exhibitions
The Ingram Collection
The Ingram Collectionis the youngest Collection. It was begun in 2002 by Chris Ingram, a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist. The Collection has over 600 works of Modern British Art and aims to provide opportunities to be inspired by art. It's generally recognised as the biggest privately owned publicly accessible collection of Modern British Art in the country.
part of the Ingram Collection of Modern British Art on display
(left) paintings by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
(right) Ingram Collection - including paintings by Maggie Hambling and Cedric Morris
This is a trust related to just one artist, who was a leading member of the St Ives Group, and was established in 1987. The Trust was set up to maintain her legacy and promote her achievements after her death.
Art lawyers, tax lawyers, artist estate representatives and others discussing everything from artist resale rights, copyright, collection inventories, will making to different models of artist trusts and foundations
I attended a preview last night and took a few photographs. It was fascinating to see some of the galleries used in different ways and containing the type of artwork not normally seen in the galleries. It's also an opportunity to see amazing paintings by some artists who are not often seen in London.
Big paintings in the North Galleries looked extremely good
- part of the Jerwood Collection of paintings by past prizewinners
It was great to see a painting by Aleah Chapin again (see my interview with Aleah Chapin). You can see an interview between Chris ingram and Aleah Chapin after her first exhibition at the Flowers Gallery in London below.
(Left) The Tempest by Aleah Chapin - painted the year after she won the BP Portrait Award 2012
(right) a work by Rose Wylie
I also adore paintings by Alison Watt and was pleased to be introduced to the paintings of Anne Redpath.
(left) Window in Menton by Anne Redpath RSA ARA (right) The Bathers by Alison Watt OBE FRSE RSA
The collector interviews the artist
The exhibition is in all three galleries of the Mall Galleries until 6 July 2018. Admission is free. The bookshop has a number of relevant publications related to both collections and the artists in them.
I'm toying with the idea of driving down to Broadstairs on the east cost of Kent tomorrow. All in order to watch a Heat of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 being filmed!
Here's a tweet from somebody who decided to go and watch today's heat! Another tweet from a hotel confirmed that they are indeed on the beach at Viking Bay (end of the High Street) in Broadstairs
The artists selected for the Derwent Art Prize Exhibition at the Mall Galleries are listed below. This year's competition has had the highest ever number of entries following an international open call. This resulted in:
1278 artists
from 64 different countries
submitted a total of 3,299 artworks
and 57 selected for the exhibition.
The submissions were judged by an expert panel comprising
Gill Saunders, Senior Curator at the V&A;
Chris Sharratt, Art Critic; and
Clare Woods, Artist.
“being a selector for this year’s Derwent Art Prize was the kind of challenge that you can’t help but enjoy. The diversity of drawing practice and the energy, thought and skill displayed by so many of the artists was exciting to see and meant that some very good work didn’t make the final selection. However, in the end I think that, after an intense process of discussion and careful consideration, this year’s exhibition provides a fitting overview of contemporary drawing practice.” Chris Sharratt
Looks like Derwent fed the Judges while they deliberated at the V&A!
Selected Artists
Overall, the judges selected 67 artworks which celebrate drawing in all its diversity.
This is the list of the 57 selected artists for the Derwent Art Prize Exhibition 2018. Links in their names are to their websites(if these can be found). Note this has still to be completed - but takes time! If you want the website to your name inserted please leave a comment with the correct url.
Jonathan Alibone (UK) - based in Northampton; Currently a resident at The Sanctuary studios. He has exhibited widely, including at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. His work features in collections throughout Europe, Russia and USA.
Margie Andrew-Reichelt (UK) - BA (Hons) Fine Art, Nottingham University (2013). Also selected for the Threadneedle Prize 2013, the Derwent Art Prize 2014 and the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition (2015). This is a link to an interview with her
Jemma Appleby(UK) - Lives and works in London and Hampshire. 2006 - 2009 1st Class BA Hons Fine Art Painting, City and Guilds of London Art School. Selected for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2014, Exhibits widely. Two of her charcoal drawings selected for Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018.
Victoria Clare Bernie - Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Victoria Clare Bernie received an MA in Fine Art from Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art, a Postgraduate Diploma in Printmaking from Edinburgh College of Art and a Masters in Architecture History and Theory from McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. She has been a recipient of a number of grants and awards
Emma Bertin Sanabria
Jean Paul Beumer
France Bizot
Kate Black -
Su Bonfanti(UK) - completed the MA Drawing course at UAL Wimbledon in September 2017; mainly exhibits in and around south Londonand home counties at present
'Tanhurst House/Piazza Epiro' by Su Bonfanti
graphite on photo transfer
Martyn Burdon (UK) - Graduated from Brunel University in 2004. Lives and works in Buckinghamshire . Also selected for the BP Portrait Prize 2017 and as one of the 'Artist and Illustrator Magazine' 2018 Artists of the Year.
Adelina Canolli
Neide Carreira
Sarah Carvell -
Lewis Chamberlain (UK) - past winner of the ING Discerning Eye Prize
Hipkiss (artist duo Alpha & Chris Mason) (UK/France) - Hipkiss is a pseudonym used for a British artist duo - Alpha and Chris Mason - based in Gers, Midi-Pyrénées, France since 2001.
Kin Choi Lam - an artist based in Hong Kong. He graduated in 2012 from the School of Creative Media, the City University of Hong Kong. His art mainly focuses on the intimate aspects of daily life, while seeking elements of mystery.
Lee Madgwick (UK) - b. King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, 1980. Graduated in Graphic Design from Norwich University College of the Arts, 2003. Tecently elected as a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA The drawing selected is ‘Shroud’ - see below and Twitter would suggest this is a return to drawing after a long break.
The Derwent Art Prize Exhibition will be held in the Threadneedle Space at the Mall Galleries from 18 – 23 September 2018 from 10am – 5pm daily. Admission is FREE.
The Derwent Art Prize aims to reward excellence by showcasing the very best 2D & 3D artworks created in pencil or coloured pencil as well as water-soluble, pastel, graphite and charcoal by British and International artists.
Prizes prizes totalling £12,500 will be awarded in a private awards ceremony on 20 September 2018. These include
First Prize of £6,000,
Second Prize of £3,000,
Third Prize of £1,500 and
the Young Artist Award of £750 for an artist under 25 years of age.
There is also a People’s Choice Award of £750, which gives the general public an opportunity to vote for their favourite shortlisted work. The poll will launch on the Derwent Art Prize Facebook page on 25 June 2018. ‘Likes’ of respective shortlisted artworks will be utilised as votes. Thus the poll is not anonymous, so if you place a vote, the poll administrator and other voters will be able to view your selection. (see terms and conditions)
More about the Derwent Art Prize
These are my previous blog posts about this award.
Two People's Choice Awards - two opportunities for the public to vote for the People's Choice Award in relation to the artwork selected for exhibition
Derwent Art Prize 2014 - ineligible drawing wins first prize? - this post reflects my perspective i.e. I have no time for people who copy other people's photographs in submitting work for competitions - plus my correspondence with the organisers
The Derwent Art Prize - a discussion (20 July 2013) - this first post is particularly relevant to those whose experience of pencil art is limited to realistic and hyper-realistic artwork
60 artists whose work was selected for exhibition - for the 60th year of this competition - from a total of
258 paintings which were anonymously shortlisted for stage 2 judging from the
2,700 paintings entered for the John Moore Painting Prize 2018.
The winner of the First Prize will receive £25,000PLUS an additional award (to mark the 60th year):
a three month fellowship at Liverpool John Moores University
an in-focus solo display at the Walker Art Gallery in 2019.
In addition, the prize is NOT a purchase prize, but the Walker Art Gallery may also purchase the painting which means another 'win' for the First Prizewinner.
The other shortlisted artists will receive a prize of £2,500.
BELOW are images of the paintings and more information about the artist. Links in their names are to their websites or sites where you can find out more about the artist.
the scope and eligibility criteria for who can enter what
how to enter.
The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2019
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery invites artists to submit one portrait in any media for consideration in the fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.
Aim and Scope
The aim of the Outwin Boochever Competition is to
showcase excellence and innovation with a strong focus on the variety of portrait media used by artists today.
The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition is currently held every three years - 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016 to date. The next one is in 2019.
"The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today" is a major exhibition of portraits selected as finalists and will be on view at the Portrait Gallery from 2nd November 2019 until 7th September 2020.
There are also plans for a nationwide tour between October 2020 and January 2022
Prizes: what's on offer?
The awards on offer total $42,000 (£31,600) and are as follows:
First Prize: $25,000 cash prize and a commission to create a portrait of a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection
Second Prize: $7,500 cash prize
Third Prize: $5,000 cash prize
Commended Artists (up to four individuals): $1,000 cash prize(s)
People’s Choice Award (announced around May 2020): $500 cash prize
Below are the images of the Prizewinners in 2016
Outwin Boochever Prizewinners in 2016
Jurors: Who are the jurors for the 2019 competition?
I'm very late with my review of the Annual Exhibition of the New English Art Club this year due to its juxtaposition with the opening of the RA Summer Exhibition and the BP Portrait Award exhibition plus various other personal matters.
However I visited on Tuesday (and again today) and found a good-looking and more colourful exhibition and lots of red dots.
I will say however that this remains overwhelmingly an exhibition by members of NEAC.
You can also view it online, although I'd much prefer a way to navigate via pages tabbed with the start letter of the surname. Having to tab all the way through the entire exhibition to get to a non-member who has a surname starting with a letter towards the end of the alphabet is tedious in the extreme.
I'm not sure the NEAC Annual Exhibition still has that "thing" that says "This is a NEAC exhibition" when I walk in. While good looking on first impressions, it didn't make me go WOW!
The New English Art Club is a group of around ninety professional painters whose work is based principally upon direct observation of nature and the human figure About the New English Art Club
For a long time the NEAC Exhibition had a very distinct identity - as expressed above - and I think maybe it's lost that.
I'm inclined to think it's maybe because the styles of members seem to have diversified over time. Not all to my taste I must confess!
There again it could be the hang....
Some of the paintings hanging in the Threadneedle Space
Below you can find images of the exhibition and some observations. I went back to see it again this afternoon as my SD card ran out of space on Tuesday. I find reviewing the exhibition again when I get home from the photos I take enables me to see things I sometimes miss while in the exhibition - notwithstanding the fact I scribble lots of notes!
This is about the LEARNING POINTS arising from the £99,000 claim for damages that a couple in Kansas were presented with - after their five year old broke a sculpture.
the aftermath and the start of the inquest
footage from the community centre's surveillance camera
Yesterday, I posed the following question on Facebook
On the one hand, the parents are "outraged" by the prospect of a bill £99,000 ($132,000) for their child pulling at / knocking off and breaking a sculpture.
On the other hand, what about the artist who has just had an unsupervised child deprive them of the prospect of the proceeds from selling the artwork?
So should children be allowed anywhere near artworks which are valuable?
Or should galleries do better at protecting valuable art?
Are bills for damages the solution? Would your insurance cover you?
P.S. Who says the artwork is worth £99,000?
As you might expect lots of people had lots of opinions - and there were lots of useful learning points which I said I'd summarise in a blog post.
However first here's the unexpurgated Surveillance Video of the incident at the Tomahawk Ridge Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas.
My take on this, based on comments made elsewhere by the mother and others is that:
THIS IS NOT AN ART GALLERY - it's a Community Centre
the boy who toppled the sculpture is five years old.
the children were attending a wedding reception at the centre with their parents
the parents were saying goodbye to the happy couple when their children decided to take a wander
the children were very clearly not being actively supervised by a parent - and were in effect doing what they fancied
the adults present were also not supervising their behaviour in the absence of the parents
the women sitting down are unrelated to the children - as in we don't normally see ladies in shorts at wedding receptions! I think the woman walked over because the child started to cry
The Issues this incident raises
So what are the issues raised by this incident. The ones we identified yesterday include the following. You may have other suggestions and do feel free to comment
Value - Who can say what an item is worth for the purposes of reimbursement?
Health and Safety - Do all venues owe a vicarious liability for the health and safety of third parties visiting the venue?
Parental Responsibility - what is a parent liable for if their children are not properly supervised? Is it an accident when parents have been negligent in their duties?
Insurance - Who is liable? Who pays at the end of the day?
Consignment paperwork - What does paperwork need to make clear?
So I'll expand on each of these points below. Please note I'm not a lawyer and this is based on reading around and experience and does not constitute legal advice.
BP Portrait Award Winner 2018
Miriam Escofet with the portrait of her mother "An Angel at my Table"
photograph: Katherine Tyrrell
It's been my habit for the past few years to interview the winners of the BP Portrait Award on video - in front of their portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. Background noise in the gallery has always been a bit of a problem, however this year, the exhibition has changed galleries and, as a result, the acoustics meant that the noise levels were too loud for my equipment (my trusty iPhone!) and an interview in the gallery was impossible.
Instead we went up to the Portrait Restaurant at the top of the building (where I was booked in for lunch) and did the interview there. We still had background noise as you will hear - but it's very easy to hear Miriam in the interview.
I've also got another video to share with for those of you who can't get to see the exhibition - it includes my quick trot around the exhibition on Awards night. That'll be coming up later this week or next.
Articles about Miriam Escofet winning the BP Portrait Award
Or, if you want to know more about the artist, consult my posts BELOW about the prizewinners which all contain VIDEO INTERVIEWS with other artists who won BP Portrait Award prizes.
A Profile of Aleah Chapin - includes her video interview which has now received over 142,000 views on YouTube. Aleah Chapin paints her aunties, cousins, mother and friends; old and new.
Prior to this, these were my blog posts about the BP Portrait Award winners (I was on holiday in 2011)
Christopher Pitbladdo has put together a wonderful video of film about the Glasgow School of Art - in the past and during the recent renovation. It's probably the most coherent footage about the design, structure and interior of the GSA that exists - and it needs to be shared
As he says (on Saturday 16th June 2018)
I've been talking today with people who didn't know the #GSA very well, particularly the inside of the library. So I've thrown together a quick sequence of Mackintosh's building at its very best.
and
A short while ago, I was lucky enough to edit a documentary about Charles Rennie Mackintosh. When news filtered through of another fire in his masterpiece - the GSA - I quickly edited this collection of shots together as a memory of the building.
Not sure how to manage my anger at the needless catastrophe of the GSA fire and now, the possible demolition. All I know is that as an artist, Mackintosh was one of the most determined and single minded visionaries the world has ever produced. pic.twitter.com/bU9Zu5cQMB
A spokesperson for the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association said it was understood that automatic fire sprinklers had not been fully fitted as the building was still undergoing refurbishment from the 2014 fire.“However, it should be realised that sprinklers can be fitted in buildings throughout construction on a temporary basis, as there is a considerable risk from fire during this period,” the association added.
This all makes it sound like it is a real person who has died, and in a strange way that’s not far off. The sheer idiosyncrasy of the building, Mackintosh’s care and attention to detail, and its rich intellectual subtexts and simple vital presence gave it more personality – its own and its creator’s – than almost any building I’ve ever experienced.
for the Art School - in two stages. Near the beginning of the film there is video of the 2014 fire and then of Lachlan visiting the rebuilding of the part of was destroyed in the 2014 fire. It's very poignant to realise that everything you see in the film is now gone. However it includes images of the Library as it was and the studios and the various design features on and within the building
I'd never realised before that the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art
was built in two stages - this is a drawing after the first stage
Pics of Glasgow School of Art - now (pre June 2018) and then
tea rooms (eg Willow Tea Rooms) while working for the practice of John Honeyman & Keppie (from 1901 Honeyman, Keppie & Mackintosh) during the Mackintosh years 1889 to 1913
the unique interiors, murals and furniture he created for himself and others. I had not idea how far and wide these were. I was particularly intrigued by his influence on design and interiors on continental Europe
Lachlan Goudie in one of the recreations of a Mackintosh interior - complete with furniture
his withdrawal from Glasgow after a nervous breakdown - and an unsuccessful start of his own independent practice
his stay in Walberswick- and his drawing and paintings (with Margaret) of wild flowers - for a German Client (just before the first World War) - such a pity they didn't feature more of these in the programme. You can read more about this period in his life on my web page about 20th century botanical artists and the slim but beautiful volume by Pamela Robertson. See also my 2007 blog post Flowers in Art... and Charles Rennie Mackintosh which comments in detail on his practice when drawing and painting flowers
to living in the South of France in Collioure and Port-Vendres - you can see his wonderful watercolours of places he visited and painted in The CRM Trail and Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Rousillon (one of the sign boards features in the BBC film). These are some of my favourite watercolours of all time. The compositions are amazing, while the draughtsmanship is masterful and the colour palettes are true to the place and yet well co-ordinated. However I learned from the programme that Mackintosh wasn't averse to moving some of the features in the landscape if they made for a better painting - and illustrated what had happened in the painting of the watercolour below. For more about these superb watercolours I recommend you read Charles Rennie Mackintosh in France: Landscape Watercolours by Pamela Robertson and Philip Long.
The Fort (1924) by CR Mackintosh
and finally to living in some poverty in London - where he continued to paint flowers -prior to his death
Part of one of Mackintosh's late paintings of flowers
For those interested in his drawings you can access all his sketchbooks as part of the Hunterian Collections at the University of Glasgow
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Previous blog posts about Charles Rennie Mackintosh
I could not believe my eyes this morning when I checked the news - and found yet more pictures of yet another fire at "The Mac" - the iconic and world-renowned Rennie Mackintosh building housing the Glasgow School of Artwhich was due to reopen in 2019 after the last fire in May 2014.
This post provides links to images and accounts of the fire and the extent of the damage. (NB The GSA website has been down - probably due to the extent of interest in this fire. It's now got a link to where people can read updates on the June 2018 Fire. It seems likely that the website will be down periodically while huge numbers try to access it)
Looking up the hill to the second fire at the Glasgow School of Art
(screendump from BBCNews)
What's really terrible is that accounts suggest that this fire is even worse than the previous one. It's certainly seems so from the images of the fire.
Damage to the Glasgow School of Art after a fire is "exceptionally significant", a senior firefighter has said.
The damage looks much worse than the first fire
(screendump from BBCNews)
More than 120 firefighters and 20 appliances were called to tackle the blaze, which began at about 11.15pm on Friday and spread to a neighbouring music venue, the O2 ABC.
By 6am on Saturday, fire crews were still tackling hotspots in the grade-A listed building, which appears to have been gutted by the fire and had its roof and upper floors destroyed. (The Guardian Heartbreaking': fire guts Glasgow School of Art for second time )
The fire appears to cover much more of the building
(screendump from BBCNews)
Nine hours ago came this tweet from the official GSoA Twitter account
There is a fire at the Mackintosh Building. The fire brigade are currently on scene. We will report back with news updates as soon as possible.
Glasgow School of Art is on fire again. Heartbreaking. My thoughts go to all students and staff, and I hope no one was caught in the blaze. pic.twitter.com/TOZTkiLjMa
by Pamela Robertson and Philip Long.
