Figurative Art Issue

Figurative Art Now Prize, Amy Sherald Portraits, Portrait Painter's Exhibition, Art competitions & opportunities

Apr 27, 2021

Hi! It’s a return to the figure this week and where better to start than Baltimore based artist Amy Sherald's current exhibition “The Great American Fact”. Here’s Sherald on why there’s always at least one person looking directly at the viewer:

The eyes tell you what’s in the soul and, for me, the people that I paint, they’re no longer themselves in the painting. They are these archetypes that know they are present. These aren’t passive portraits — they’re maybe subversively confrontational, if you will — but it’s definitely a response to a lot of images I saw growing up where our gaze was always averted. Or thinking about the fact that you couldn’t look at a white person in the eye. So, this is my way of nodding my head at that narrative and empowering the image in a way. I like the paintings hung a little lower for that reason so when the viewer walks up, it’s a different conversation. You’re not looking up at it — it’s almost looking directly at you and I think that creates a different kind of sensation.

Hauser & Wirth, LA until 6 Jun (via Kottke)

Figurative Art Now

The Federation of British Artists launches Figurative Art Now for their 60th year. An online selling exhibition with £5,000 first prize. (closes 1st Jun)

New Art Competitions

RDS Visual Art Awards - €30,000 prize fund for visual art graduates in Ireland (15 Jun)

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize - £15,000, National Portrait Gallery (8 Jun)

Cerco International Contemporary Ceramics Award - €6,000 prize (27 Jun)

Art Gemini Prize - £4,000 prize fund, has been extended a week (2 May)

JIA Illustration Award - 600k Japanese Yen (£4,000) prize fund (Jun 30)

Doncaster Art Fair Competition - £2,300 prize fund on theme ‘Art as a Response to Mental Health 2021’ (21 May)

Earth Photo - £1,350 of prizes on Environment & Geography (30 Apr)

UK Art Competitions - 35 prizes open.

Children’s Art Competitions - 13 open.

Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

You may have seen today’s BBC article highlighting two portraits of NHS doctors from this exhibition. All 200 works are online to browse or buy before opening at the Mall Galleries, London (6–15 May). Here’s a couple that stood out for me.

“Chiara” by Antony Williams, egg tempera.

“Alice at the Table” by Julia Hawkins - £1,500, oil on canvas (40x50cm)

Wild At Art Holidays

Far from cheap but these creative retreats in Scotland could be just the tonic:

Our immersive creative experiences combine art workshops with handpicked accommodation and eateries, visits to galleries and exhibitions. Develop your art skills in Scotland’s dramatic landscapes, in the company of like-hearted creative travellers.

Two places left on this 10 day drawing & painting holiday on Lewis & Harris in the Outer Hebrides (22–31 Aug).