Simon Collins, Theyd Learnt it was good. © the artist
Exhibition News - Jerwood Contemporary Painters at The Jerwood Space, London until May 18.
Last night the Jerwood Charitable Foundation awarded 20 up and coming artists £1,500 each at the opening of the Jerwood Contemporary Painters exhibition at the Jerwood space in London.
Instead of giving a cash prize to just one artists the foundation has chosen to award each artist taking part as a participation fee.
The foundation awarded £30,000 in total to help fund each artist’s future as they enter the stage between graduation and attaining recognised artist status.
Michael Samuels, Goodbye to dignity. © the artist
The exhibition, now in its second year, is designed to debate what painting is and what is its future. It was launched at Frieze Art Fair 2006 as part of the Jerwood Visual Art Series.
The first exhibition featured work from 30 artists, but this smaller selection has formed a tighter group of works. Stephen Farthing, chairman of the selection panel for the exhibition, said: “We simply chose the very best works, while paying attention to both their individual merits and ability to sit and make sense as a group.”
“As it happens we ended up with twenty which was fewer than expected, but that’s where our method took us and that’s where we were happy to rest.”
James Wright, The Retribution. © the artist
The selection allows the audience to take a structured look at the changes taking place in the often traditional activity called painting. Each of the selected works engages with the debate around what constitutes a painting.
Roanne Dods, Director of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation said: “The result is a group of very strong work and range of artists that contribute to an enriched debate about practice and interests among a special group of emerging artists.”
Special events will be taking place on Monday evenings during the course of the exhibition.
