BP Portrait Award

Annual exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery also offering an award to the best new portrait submitted that year.

This years unset theme seemed to be pictures of people’s partners obviously as they are cheap and indulgent models. This included the winner of this years first prize “K” by Craig Wylie, a huge photographic quality oil painting showing every detail of the skin and clothing.

There also seemed to be a marked concentration on detail and less abstract work. “Buti” by Flavia Maris Pitis became a study in hair, both human in the shape of a beard and animal in the guise of fur hat. Also “Metamorphosis” by Jose Luis Corella looked at the effect of face paint on skin becoming a study in texture, the cracking on the lips, the change in the skin with the white paint and the shine on the nails.

My favourite this year was almost the first one I saw “Walter” by Oliver Jeffers, a study of a fishmonger, fish in one hand lemon in the other against a plain green background. It is one of a series of suppliers to a particular Belfast restaurant. I thought it had a really honest quality. I also liked the multi coloured brickwork on “Moss Bank” by Tom Dewhurst.

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