The Marmite Prize for Painting

Exhibition Preview and Prize Announcement: 6.30-9.00pm, Thursday 7th April 2011

Now in its third incarnation, The Marmite Prize for Painting is a biennial open submission prize and touring exhibition, showcasing the best in contemporary painting from the UK and abroad. This exhibition of a diverse selection of paintings by 48 artists provides an opportunity to view new work by established painters alongside emerging artists. The final stage of the exhibition and the announcement of this year’s winner will take place at The Nunnery, Bow, in April 2011.

The participants were selected from more than 600 entries following an international call for submissions. From the paintings on display in the exhibition, one winner will be chosen by the distinguished panel of judges, all established artists: Marcus Harvey, Dan Hays, Mali Morris (RA) and Dai Roberts. They will select a winner and two runners up from the shortlisted works, with the winner receiving ‘Hammerhead’ (2010), a specially commissioned sculpture made and very kindly donated by Bill Woodrow RA. The prize giving will take place during the private view on Thursday 7th April.

The selected works on display at The Nunnery offer a broad look at contemporary painting, ranging from the monumental, as seen in Tom Ormond’s ‘The New Light of Tomorrow’ (2010), to the very dark, such as ‘The Decomposition of Violets’ (2010) by Ben Walker. The exhibition also challenges the perception of what a painting is. Amongst the less conventional works on display are Daniela Sarigu’s, ‘Loop’ (2010), which is made up of cut up strips of painted canvas sitting in a pile on the floor and Soheila Sokhanvari’s ‘Not Dead Yet’ (2010), painted directly onto the hard cover of a book. Stephanie Moran, one of the two founding curators of the Prize, explains that “Every year the Marmite Prize gains more entries and more attention, and this year is no different. What’s so special about this painting competition is that it is open to everyone. We have established artists alongside emerging talent. Today’s prizewinners really are the future stars of the art world."

Visitors to the exhibition will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite work via the ‘Visitor’s Choice Box’. The announcement of the Visitor’s Choice winner will be made at the close of the exhibition via The Marmite Prize website.

There will be a programme of additional events accompanying the exhibition including a Curators’ Talk on Saturday 16 April (3-4.30pm): Marmite Prize curators, Marcus Cope and Stephanie Moran, will discuss the exhibition and their ambivalent relationship with the idea of the 'Prize', and art prizes in general.

Participating artists: Jeremy Akerman, Georgina Amos, Iain Andrews, Matthew John Atkinson, Karl Bielik, Max Cahn, Amir Chasson, Julie Cockburn, Melanie Comber, Hugh Davies, Louisa Durose, Karl England, David Fletcher, Alice Forward, Patrick Galway, Steph Goodger, David Hancock, Siân Hislop, Tina Jenkins, Kate Knight, Hannah Knox, Matthew Krishanu, Kate Lyddon, Nadine Mahoney, Amy Moffat, Sophie Oates, Tom Ormond, Bernadette O’Toole, Yvonne Parr, Jemimah Patterson, Michael Pybus, Kes Richardson, James Quin, Daniela Sarigu, Paul Savage, Robin Seir, Benjamin Senior, David Small, Soheila Sokhanvari, William Stein, Ryuta Suzuki, David Sweet, Mia Taylor, Mimei Thompson, Ben Walker, Sean Williams, Sarah Kate Wilson, Doreen Wittenbols.

The Marmite Prize for Painting is featured as one of Saatchi magazine's online top 10 international shows.

Location

The Nunnery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ (nearest tube Bow Road, nearest DLR Bow Church) from Friday 8 April until Sunday 1 May.

The Nunnery is open 12 – 6pm, Friday – Sunday.

Entry to the exhibition and events is free.

For further information about the exhibition, please contact the gallery on 020 8709 5292 or e-mail: nunnery@bowarts.com.

View The Nunnery Gallery online