The Walker Art Gallery has announced Kathryn Maple the winner of the John Moores Painting Prize 2020 with her vibrant work, The Common.
A large, figurative work, Kathryn describes the painting as depicting a ‘..meeting place, an intersection, people seemingly aware of each other, but minds elsewhere – all sharing an open space’. Kathryn’s work frequently returns to ideas around ‘resting places within a city’, where nature is seen and celebrated, and the observed and imagined worlds of individuals cross paths.
Born in Canterbury, Kent in 1989, Kathryn attended the Royal Drawing School London from 2013 -14, and the
Executive Director of Galleries & Collections Care, Sandra Penketh said: “Kathryn’s wonderful painting is a truly worthy winner and we’re delighted to not only be awarding her the first prize but to also be acquiring the painting for the Walker’s collection.
The other four shortlisted works whose artists, who will each receive £2,500, are: The Neanderthal Futures Infirmary by Robbie Bushe, Compost by Michele Fletcher, The Motherland by Steph Goodger and March by Stephen Lee. Also announced today is the winner of the Emerging Artist Prize, supported by Winsor and Newton.
Kiki Xuebing Wang is the first winner of this award, developed to support artists in the early stages of their career. She is awarded £2,500 and premium art materials of the same value for her work, Untitled (Loafer).
The 2020 jury represent a diverse group of artists and creative influencers: Hurvin Anderson; Michelle Williams Gamaker; Alison Goldfrapp; Jennifer Higgie and Gu Wenda.
Following Liverpool’s move into Tier 3 of the government’s Covid restrictions in October 2020, for the first time in the history of the Prize judging was all done online. High spec cameras, screens, speakers and AV software allowed judges to appreciate the scale, texture and detail of the works in real time.
It also enabled a rich dialogue between the judges, a vital and cherished part of the process. Despite the changes an important fundamental of the competition remained in place with all judging done anonymously, allowing the artworks to speak for themselves.
The exhibition was selected from almost 3,000 entries. From large scale canvases, bold in brush strokes and colour, to exquisitely detailed pieces, the exhibition covers a wide range of styles, united by their use of paint.
The full list of artists in the John Moores Painting Prize 2020 is here.
A virtual tour of the exhibition is available at www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/