BP Portrait Award 2000

THE BP PORTRAIT AWARD 2000

22 June - 1 October 2000
Wolfson Gallery
Admission free

Sponsored by BP Amoco

The winners of the BP Portrait Award and BP Travel Award 2000 were announced last night (Tuesday 20 June) at an awards ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery.

The winner of the BP Portrait Award 2000 is:

Victoria Russell (born 1962)
Title of Portrait: Two Women in White

Victoria Russell, currently living and working in Hackney, East London, is the winner of this year's BP Portrait Award. She wins £10,000 and, at the judges discretion, a commission of £3,000 to paint a portrait for the Gallery's contemporary collection.

Victoria graduated from Central St.Martin's College of Art with a first class degree in Fine Art in 1994 before undertaking a diploma at the Royal Academy Schools. In 1998 she was selected for exhibition in the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery and she has recently had solo exhibitions both at Lawrence Graham and the Modern Gallery in London.

2nd Prize:

Antony Micallef (born 1975)
Title of Portrait: Glamour Pussy Tokyo

Awarded £5,000, Antony Micallef is a graphic designer and lives in Hove, East Sussex. He studied Fine Art at the University of Plymouth. Last year he undertook a 1 month cultural residency in Japan, producing drawings and paintings. He has recently contributed to group exhibitions in Cornwall, Peterborough and Denmark.

3rd Prize:

Phil Hale (born 1963)
Title of Portrait: Dr Rowlands at 45

Phil Hale wins £3,000 for his painting of Dr Michael Rowlands. Phil served a 2 year apprenticeship under the painter R.R. Berry and last year was awarded a Gold Medal by the Society of Illustrators. He has exhibited in France and Italy and has undertaken many private commissions. His work has been published in two books, Double Memory and Goad.

Commended - each receives £1,000

Paul Abbott (born 1960)
Title of Portrait: Juggler
Frances Borden (born 1970)
Title of Portrait: Self Portrait
Juno Doran (born 1966)
Title of Portrait: Black Painting #6
Tom Leveritt (born 1976)
Title of Portrait: Reloj AC
Andrew Tift (born 1968)
Title of Portrait: You know not the day nor the hour (Harry Coleman)

The Portrait Award, now in its twentieth year at the National Portrait Gallery and its tenth year of sponsorship by BP, is a highly successful annual event aimed at encouraging young artists to focus upon, and develop, the theme of portraiture within their work. This year, the competition received over 700 entries of which 53 have been selected for display. The competition was judged from original paintings by this year's panel: Sir John Browne, Chief Executive, BP Amoco; Nicola Hicks, artist; Peter Jenkinson, Director, New Art Gallery, Walsall; Penny Johnson, Director, Government Art Collection; Dr Charles Saumarez Smith, Director, National Portrait Gallery; Clive Smith, artist and winner of the 1999 BP Portrait Award

BP TRAVEL AWARD 2000
The BP Travel Award is an annual prize of £2,000 which allows young artists to expand their horizons and develop the theme of portraiture within their work. This year's Award has been won by Si Sapsford for her proposal to capture the motivation and commitment of Lifeboat crews, both with the RNLI in Salcombe and with crews in Reykjavik, Iceland. Si is an artist and lecturer, currently based in London having previously spent many years as a professional long distance sailor. She will spend 2 weeks working and training with the Salcombe crew before travelling to Reykjavik with members of the Salcombe crew who are on an exchange visit to Iceland. The work which Si completes during this period will be displayed at the National Portrait Gallery next year, alongside the BP Portrait Award 2001.

BP TRAVEL AWARD 1999
Glasgow-born artist Jennifer McRae was the winner of last year's BP Travel Award and the work resulting from her project is exhibited this year, adjacent to the BP Portrait Award 2000. Her enterprising project involved studying methods of teaching portraiture at the Hogeschool St.Lukas in Brussels, learning about and experiencing the practice of portraiture in Belgium.

National Portrait Gallery opening times
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 - 18:00
Late Opening Thursday, Friday: 10:00 - 21:00
Recorded information : 020 7312 2463