This is a summary of my thoughts about the Derwent Art Prize Exhibition at gallery@OXO. This is in addition to:
The aim of the Derwent Art Prize Exhibition is to
- reward excellence by showcasing the very best artworks made in pencil by artists from around the world.
- showcase c.80 artworks in an exhibition.
The Prize invites artists to submit the very best 2D and 3D artworks created in any pencil, including colour, water soluble, pastel, graphite and charcoal pencils.
This year, the Judges shortlisted just 68 artworks, however 2 artworks did not make it on to the walls because they got stuck in Customs!
See the end for tips for getting your work through Customs I'm writing this post essentially for all those who might like to submit artwork to the next Derwent Art Prize because, although you can see the images online, you cannot see how they are presented.
That said, judgement is always on the basis of the digital image of the art.
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Artwork at the entrance
varying sizes, subjects and presentation
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My perspective on the Derwent Art Prize Exhibition 2024
First off, the main point I want to emphasise is that there is a lot of exceptionally good artwork in this exhibition. I'm guessing that the reputation of the Prize - and the fact it's still going - means that this prize attracts many more professional artists these days as well as young / aspiring / emerging artists.
For me, the appeal of the exhibition is that:
- it often presents novel perspectives on the very ordinary
- as well as extraordinary insights into the very unusual.
- ALL delivered while demonstrating an exceptional degree of technical accomplishment.
Essentially, it's NOT artwork which is technically good but actually dull - as much hyperealistic artwork can be.
Nor is it exciting concepts which are then delivered by people lacking in skills associated with creating art - which is the sort of art I hate.
To get selected, the artwork has to move mind or spirit AND also be executed by somebody who demonstrates they're very good at wielding the media used for pencil art.
For me, it has come on a lot since the very first exhibition - which I remember really well because it demonstrated news of thinking and recording in pencil media.
I'd just like to see some 3D artwork next time!
PS There are emphatically no cats, dogs or horses or any other sort of animal mammal in this exhibition! There is one very dead bird.... (Just saying....)
The exhibition demonstrates a wide diversity in terms of
- styles
- subject matter
- size
- age of the artist
- country where the artist lives
It is truly international - with over 6,000 entries by 2,324 artists from 77 countries.
That means it's getting an entry way bigger than most of the prominent open art exhibitions of national art societies! One might be tempted to ask what is this art competition offering that other open exhibitions are not. My answer would be "big cash prizes". Any time you have an art competition with very significant cash prizes you get a lot of entries.
