Endless Art
June can only mean one thing for art lovers; it is the first chance to see the shortlisted paintings (alongside other highly regarded entrants) for the BP Portrait Award 2009. Every year, over 170,000 people visit the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery to judge for themselves the best contemporary work in portraiture. The BP Portrait Award is a highly respected and prestigious honour, which has been seeking talented portrait artists who are not afraid to input a fresh twist onto a traditional art form. This time around, keep a look out for the poignant image of Tom by Michael Gaskell, which was constructed to show the fleeting period between the boyhood and manhood of his son. Gaskell is no stranger to the competition as he won second place in 2003 and was commended in 1991 and 2001. Gaskell is said to have found inspiration from Botticelli’s Portrait of a Young Man. Go along from 18 June to see this and the other shortlised portraits for yourself and ponder which deserves the coveted title and prize of £25,000.
