Today I popped in the National Portrait Gallery to view the paintings shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award 2011. This year was mostly underwhelming, I have to say, with many examples of a trend in modern portraiture that I find particularly annoying: the photo look.
Paintings with the slick, smooth, slightly-soft-focused look of a photography. I do like hyper-realism but for some reason I can't abide that look in portraiture. The overall winner, by Wim Heldens, just about escapes my ire in that respect. Although I rather like it, it is also not part of my favourites. You can find them below in bad iPhone pictures I took myself (the links provide more info about the paintings and the artists):
George O'Dowd by Layla Lyons, oil on canvas on wooden stretcher, 1800 x 1400 mm
Abi, by Nathan Ford, oil on canvas, 280 x 200 mm
and just because I like Maxi:
Maxi Jazz by Joe Simpson, oil on canvas, 600 x 600 mm
There was another one I liked, which I didn't photograph and doesn't seem to be on the website for the exhibition for some reason... (not all the paintings seem to be there and I think I even spotted one on the site that wasn't exhibited...)
Special mention goes to I could have been a contender by Wendy Elia and the amusing little sub-painting of the topless young man walking into the room and averting his eyes.
BP Portrait Award 2011
National Portrait Gallery
until 18 September
admission free
Paintings with the slick, smooth, slightly-soft-focused look of a photography. I do like hyper-realism but for some reason I can't abide that look in portraiture. The overall winner, by Wim Heldens, just about escapes my ire in that respect. Although I rather like it, it is also not part of my favourites. You can find them below in bad iPhone pictures I took myself (the links provide more info about the paintings and the artists):
George O'Dowd by Layla Lyons, oil on canvas on wooden stretcher, 1800 x 1400 mm
Abi, by Nathan Ford, oil on canvas, 280 x 200 mmand just because I like Maxi:
Maxi Jazz by Joe Simpson, oil on canvas, 600 x 600 mmThere was another one I liked, which I didn't photograph and doesn't seem to be on the website for the exhibition for some reason... (not all the paintings seem to be there and I think I even spotted one on the site that wasn't exhibited...)
Special mention goes to I could have been a contender by Wendy Elia and the amusing little sub-painting of the topless young man walking into the room and averting his eyes.
BP Portrait Award 2011
National Portrait Gallery
until 18 September
admission free
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