OCA preloader logo
An art prize worth noting and a trip worth going on - The Open College of the Arts

To find out more details about the transfer to The Open University see A New Chapter for OCA.

An art prize worth noting and a trip worth going on thumb

An art prize worth noting and a trip worth going on

The Threadneedle Prize for Painting and Sculpture  will be on at the Mall Galleries from 22 September to 8 October.  OCA has arranged a study visit there on Saturday 1st October. It should be a really stimulating day. See details at the base of this post for instructions to join the group on the day. At the Threadneedle show there is an emphasis on the figurative in those selected, and its interesting to note who the judges are: Julie Lomax who is Head of Visual Arts, Arts Council England and is a ‘tireless champion’ of the contemporary art community,  and was voted one of the 30 most influential people in The Times Art Power List 2010.   Lisa Milroy is the Head of Graduate Painting at the Slade School of Art and finally Godfrey Worsdale who is the 2011 Turner Prize Juror and Director at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.  It is therefore cheering to note the tide towards a more balanced view of what art is, and can be and truly does represent a cut through of the preoccupations of  many artists today.

Riverside Interior V Patricia Cain

To give you a taste of what is to come in this year’s exhibition of shortlisted candidates, take a look at last year’s winners: Scottish artist Patricia Cain. who won the overall prize (£25,000) and  Boyd and Evans won the £10,000 visitor’s choice prize.   Take a look at the video snapshot of the 2010 award on this website. about the prize.
The £25,000 Threadneedle Prize says that it is the UK’s leading showcase for paintings and sculptures that promote the practice of representational art, but challenges its language and assumptions.   It is certainly the flip side to the Turner art prize.   The sculpture by Tim Shaw,  Man on Fire, made of foam, plastic and black paint in the 2010 selection is certainly one of the most striking pieces.  I love too, the classical portrait, Georgina, by Oliver Jones disturbingly, hung upside down,  and the voluptuous child’s head: Doily Boy, with rosebud lips and rosy cheeks, with a doily round his neck by Angela Lizon.: with echoes of Velasquez.
The 2010 selection also included Claire Dorsett, Hannah Brown, Jeremy Hutchison Hannah Honeywill, Sean Penlington,,Cathy Lomax on Axis, Henny Acloque on Axis, Louise Balaam on Axis, Orlanda Broom on Axis and Richard Stone on Axis along with many others.
The others shortlisted can be found on  the full list on the Threadneedle website.  Google them and take a look at their work. Who would your vote have gone for?  I think from the above list, for me, the Sean Penlington and Claire Dorsett are the most powerful. Note down who you would go for in the Comments Box below and why, and let’s see what we think of the 2011 selection when they are announced.
This is certainly a show that will be in my diary.  If you’d like it to be in yours too, please join the OCA study visit on Saturday 1st October with sculpture tutor Jennifer Tetlow.  There are 15 places, so contact ocaenquiries@oca-uk.com, with your name, and a mobile contact number soon to book your place.

Voiced by Amazon Polly

Posted by author: Jane Parry

One thought on “An art prize worth noting and a trip worth going on

  • it sounds very interesting. I will be away during oca visit, but will try and go beforethat. I dont know any of the names which shows how woefully ignorant I am and I welcome this information. Thank you Dorothy

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

> Next Post Street art in Lisbon

< Previous Post What makes a document?

Back to blog listings