Last year saw two French artists win awards as part of the Derwent Art Prize 2018. France Bizot was awarded First Prize for Madame Bovary, a figurative coloured pencil drawing made inside a found vintage book.
Emma Bertin Sanabria received the Young Artist Award for Noé, a delicately rendered portrait in which the male sitter appears immersed in the artist’s process: the drawing picks up the myriad textures and folds in the sitter’s clothing, as areas of saturated colour evolve into singular pencil lines.
The achievement of these two artists combined with the popularity of the Derwent Art Prize amongst a French audience led to the decision to present the 2020 Exhibition in Paris for the first time in the Prize’s history.
The 2020 Exhibition will take place at 20 Rue Saint Claude, a flexible space located on the street of the same name, a cultural hotspot within the Marais neighbourhood. Le Marais itself, ‘dripping in old world elegance yet thoroughly modern in sensibility’, is one of Paris’ most intriguing neighbourhoods. Cultural highlights include the Place des Vosges, a magnificent green space, and the tangle of tiny streets that run from the Musée National Picasso to the Place de la République, a haven for vintage trinket hunters. Then of course there is the Musée National Picasso itself: housed in the stunning, mid 17th century Hôtel Salé, displays are drawn from the Hôtel’s collection of more than 5,000 drawings, engravings, paintings, ceramic works and sculptures by the Grand Maître Pablo Picasso.
By taking the Prize to Paris, we hope to continue raising the project’s international profile, thus increasing the number of submissions from outside of the UK. This international remit is one of the Prize’s defining features, allowing us to showcase what is truly the very best 2D and 3D artwork created in pencil. The exhibitions that we curate consistently present a range of techniques, both traditional and experimental, along with a whole host of cultural influences. The result? Shows that delight and inspire audiences of all ages, that receive a significant degree of critical interest, and that contribute to a wider conversation about the role of drawing in both contemporary art and contemporary culture.
To enter the Derwent Art Prize 2020, please visit www.derwent-artprize.com where you can fill in an online entry form and upload your images. The deadline is 17 February 2020.