|
16 to 26 November at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1 Admission free, 10am to 5pm daily All works are for sale The ING Discerning Eye exhibition is a unique art event, two artists, two collectors and two critics; six prominent figures from the art world, act as selectors for the six individual sections of the exhibition. Artwork by unknown artists hangs alongside work by some of the UKís leading contemporary artists, all creating two or three dimensional works within the size limit of 20' x 20'. It is always a feast for the eyes, an eclectic collection of contemporary art in Britain, challenging artists who may rarely produce work of this size and aiming to connect the public with contemporary art of a domestic scale. The exhibition itself can be as fascinating for the glimpse it gives into the modern art scene, as it is for the portrait it provides of the selectors. Previous selectors include names as prestigious and diverse as William Boyd, HRH Prince of Wales, Jonathan Miller, Lord Bath, Brian Sewell, Lionel Blair, Joan Bakewell, Sir Roy Strong and Anne Robinson. This yearís selection panel once again will both delight and challenge the visitor. The two artists are Stuart Pearson Wright, perhaps best known for his controversial painting of HRH Prince Philip, and for his individual depiction of JK Rowling, commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery; and Royal Academician Anthony Green, a leading British artist well loved for his eccentric style. They are joined by collectors Mollie Dent Brocklehurst, director of the Gagosian Gallery, Londonís leading contemporary gallery and agents to Damien Hurst; and Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, an avid art collector and leading criminal lawyer. The two critics this year are William Feaver, who curates, paints and wrote for the Observer newspaper for many years; and Laura Gascoigne, who writes for The Spectator, The Tablet, The Jackdaw, Galleries and Museum Practice. Each selector approached the task in a different way. Royal Academician, Anthony Green looked for art he couldnít do. Acclaimed portrait painter, Stuart Pearson Wright looked for a new perspective of the world. An avid art collector, Baroness Kennedy simply stated ëthe test for me is about wanting to look again and again.í Earlier this year ING Wholesale Banking was delighted to announce a three year sponsorship commitment to The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition and an increase to £5000 for the ING purchase prize. ING Wholesale Banking has sponsored the exhibition for the past seven years and remains proud to be associated with this unique event in the UK art calendar. For further information, and images please contact Hannah Leonard at Parker Harris: hannah@parkerharris.co.uk <mailto:hannah@parkerharris.co.uk> or 01372 462190. NOTES TO EDITORS The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2006 is an exciting and eclectic mix of over 400 works, showing at the Mall Galleries, London SW1 from November 16 to 26. The exhibition provides an unusual opportunity to discover vast talent from unsung artists marked with a revered stamp of approval, alongside that of internationally known names all selected by prominent figures from the artworld. ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to over 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients over 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of over 114,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. The Discerning Eye is an arts educational charity established in 1990 to encourage a wider understanding and appreciation of the visual arts and to create opportunities for artists. Past selectors for the annual ING Discerning Eye Exhibition have included (in alphabetical order): Mary Rose Beaumont Peter Blake AS Byatt Alan Grieve HRH The Prince of Wales Ken Howard Mark Lawson Crispin Odey Lord Palumbo Anne Robinson Brian Sewell Sir Roy Strong. |