NEWS: RUA OPENS AT ULSTER MUSEUM
RUA President Colin Davidson delivering the opening speech and prize-giving at a private launch on Thursday 18 October 2012.
Friday 19 October 2012: The Royal Ulster Academy’s Annual Exhibition opened today at the Ulster Museum, Belfast. Attracting over 58,000 visitors every year, it is Northern Ireland’s largest open submission exhibition.
At a private preview last night, adjudicator Mick O Dea RHA announced this year’s 14 prize winners. They included the RUA Perpetual Gold Medal awarded to Mark Shields, Silver Medal awarded to Gareth Reid and the Emering Artist Award to Natalia Black.
Exhibition highlights this year include invited artists Peter Richards, Zoe Murdoch, Brendan Jamison and Mick O Dea, with the open submission element enjoying strong entries from Brendan O'Neill, Jane Swanston, Janet Morris and Fiona Finnegan.
Richards, who represented Northern Ireland at the Venice Biennale in 2005, is internationally-renowned for his photography and performance art. From his recent New York series he presents a C-print, 'Grand and Central and Upturned'. Richards will deliver a free talk at the Ulster Museum lecture theatre on Friday 26 October at 1pm.
Visitors can also enjoy a green wax submarine by Brendan Jamison, an international sculptor recently elected to the Royal British Society of Sculptors. Jamison will deliver an Ulster Museum artist talk on Friday 9 November at 1pm, covering his recent 10 Downing Street exhibition alongside projects in Germany, America and Asia.
Paintings of note this year include works by Clement McAleer, Jennifer Trouton, Neil Shawcross, Simon McWilliams and the President of the RUA, Colin Davidson.
Entries for the photography section are of exceptional quality, with two works by Northern Ireland's leading photographer, Professor Paul Seawright, recently elected Vice-President of the Academy.
The exhibition continues until Sunday 18 November 2012. Ulster Museum opening times: Tueday to Sunday 10am to 5pm.
Colin Davidson PRUA with his portrait of Mark Knopfler
SIMON McWILLIAMS, Belfast Palmhouse, oil on linen, 173 x 183 cms
PETER RICHARDS, Grand and Central and Upturned, 2012,
C-print, reverse mounted diasec, 1/3, 91.4 x 61 cms
FIONA FINNEGAN, Cloak, 2012, oil on wood, 50 x 39.5 cms
BRENDAN JAMISON, Green Submarine, 2012, microcrystalline and paraffin wax over wood, 37 x 62 x 22 cms
JANE SWANSTON, Absence, oil on canvas, 2012, 90 x 89 cms
Visitors in the Ulster Museum on the exhibition opening day
EVELINA WOJTOWIC, Nothing Softer than Water, ceramics
Installation of 16 modules, 60 x 240 x 240 cms
RUA PRESS LAUCH: Arthur O'Brien with Professor Paul Seawright, Vice-President of the Academy
2012 PRIZE-WINNERS
RUA Perpetual Gold Medal Prize
For the best work by a member of the RUA
sponsored by the McKenna Gallery – £1000
Recipient: Mark Shields
Rising II, acrylic on canvas, 152 x 122 cms
Conor Prize for a figurative work in any media
sponsored by Conor Café- £750
Recipient: Neil Shawcross
Portrait of Barney McCool (Tom Devitt)
Oil on canvas, 200 x 90 cms
KPMG Emerging Artist Award – £1000
Recipient: Natalia Black
Giant’s Causeway, mixed media on board, 25 x 33 cms
IrishArtCollector.com Prize
For an outstanding painting by an artist under 35 – £750
Recipient: Francis O Toole
Ambrosio (The Monk)
Oil on canvas, 100 x 70 cms
Nicholson & Bass Printmaking Prize – £500
Recipient: Maggie Deignan
Festival, aquatint etching, 2/30, 26 x 30 cms
RUA Perpetual Silver Medal Prize
For the best work by a non-member of the RUA
Sponsored by the Ulster Arts Club – £500
Recipient: Gareth Reid
History of the World, charcoal on canvas, 107 x 137 cms
Irish News Prize
For a work depicting the theme of Ireland Today – £500
Recipient: Blaise Smith
An example of Irish ingenuity
Oil on canvas, 76 x 101 cms
RUA Presidents Prize for a student work
Sponsored by Kriterion Conservation Architects – £500
Recipient: Evelina Wojtowicz
Nothing Softer than Water, ceramics
Installation of 16 modules, 60 x 240 x 240 cms
Mullan Gallery Prize
For the best bronze sculpture – £500
Recipient: Bob Sloan
Jake, cast bronze, 40 x 20 x 23 cms
Ross’s Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers Watercolour Prize – £500
Recipient: KK Godsee
Open Containers
Watercolour on handmade paper on board, 33 x 32 cms
Rowel Friers Prize for Drawing
Sponsored by the Tom Caldwell Gallery – £500
Recipient: Terry McAllister
Above Pienza, charcoal on paper, 139 x 103 cms
Robinson McIlwaine Architects
Original Vision Prize – £500
Recipient: Scott Benefield
Snood, glass, 25 x 21 x 14 cms
The Paul Henry Landscape Prize
Sponsored by Gormley’s Fine Art – £500
Recipient: Brian Ballard
Red Rocks, oil on canvas, 62 x 82 cms
Swinton Commercial lens-based prize – £500
Recipient: Joanne Mullin
Untitled from the ‘Refuge Series’
Photograph, 1/6, 68.5 x 68.5 cms
|
