This event has now finished.
The BP Portrait Award is the most prestigious portrait painting competition in the world. The award is aimed at encouraging artists of all ages to focus upon and develop the theme of portraiture in their work and this year’s exhibition has 48 exceptional entries.
The winning entry, by London-based artist Miriam Escofet, is An Angel at my Table, a portrait of the artist’s mother drinking tea. The portrait was selected from 2,667 entries from 88 countries, submitted for judging anonymously by a panel which included journalist Rosie Millard and artist Glenn Brown.
The exhibition is organised by the National Portrait Gallery, London. The 2018 award has toured to Edinburgh and Wolverhampton, with Winchester as the final venue.
An Angel At My Table (detail) by Miriam Escofet © Miriam Escofet
The BP Portrait Prize 2018 exhibition in Winchester Discovery Centre was a fantastic opportunity to give young people across Hampshire a chance to engage, create and share their thoughts in response to this exhibition.
As well as two excellent exhibitions at the City Space gallery that showcased young people's art work through our Social Impact Programme, The ICE Project and Horizon 20:20, Hampshire Cultural Trust has also been working with local students to review the BP Portrait exhibition and let us know what they thought. Sixth Form Art Students had the opportunity to meet the artists at the Private View, explore how to be an ‘art critique’ and the given a platform online to share their views. We hope this will inspire more young people to get involved art and culture.
Exhibition Review by Gabriela, Upper 6th, Peter Symonds College
Exhibition Review by Katie, Lower 6th, Peter Symonds College
I was so pleased when HCT asked if Symonds art students would like to get involved in the BP Portrait Award Exhibition review writing initiative. We have already had a very successful collaboration with HCT this academic year, participating in a practical workshop response to the Agnes Martin exhibition and then taking students to meet the Tate Modern Curators. It was great to witness the enthusiasm that Katie and Gabby shared in writing their informative reviews of three wonderful exhibitions that were on display at the Discovery Centre and it was a pleasure to read their thought provoking insights.
Mark Jones, Head of Subject at Peter Symonds College
