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Thirty-two artists from across Europe are celebrating after being selected for the final shortlist of the second annual Lexmark European Art Prize 2004 – the only pan-European painting prize. 

The thirty-two paintings will now go forward to the final judging stage during the summer, with the winner of the €30,000 prize announced at a ceremony at the Triennale di Milano, one of the most important art institutions in Italy, in Milan in October.

Professor Brendan Neiland, Chairman of the Judges commented: “The European shortlist for the Lexmark European Art Prize 2004 represents the extremely high quality of entries submitted to this year’s prize. The works demonstrate the innovative use of painting techniques and show how the painting medium can discuss and express challenging and difficult subject matter as effectively and powerfully as conceptual art. Selecting an overall winner is going to be a very difficult decision but I am looking forward to some lively debate with my fellow judges!”

The four UK artists selected are; Gary McDonald, Simon Kennleyside, Katherine Simpson and Edward Kay.  Simon Kennleyside 29, who is a full time artist in Essex said: “I’m so pleased to have been short listed for the prize; I’ve now got the Milan exhibition to look forward to!” Edward Kay, 23, is a 2nd year student at the Royal Academy and previously studied at Oxford.   Gary McDonald, 25, entered the prize for the first time this year and is delighted to be short listed: “It’s great to gain recognition
through a prize that is solely dedicated to supporting painting.”

The judging panel, made up of respected figures from the European art world and chaired by Professor Brendan Neiland, Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools, London, eventually selected the “top 32” from the 4,000 entries submitted to this year’s prize – double the number received last year. 

In addition to the “final 32”, countries that received large numbers of entries also have their own country shortlist from which they can select a “country winner”.

The UK Shortlist is made up of 29 paintings:

Alan Smith  Ellipsis
Vanessa Withers  Pears & Pepper Pots
Neale Howells  Dragging her home
Peter Corbett  The World of the Fifth Song
Micheal  Meleady  Conversation Over Coffee
Jonathan Ridley  Urban Speed
Samuel St. Leger  Wooden Battle
Bianca Soucek  Thinspired
Trevor Sutton  Daydream Jazz
Tomoya Hiramatsu  Untitled
Karl Bielik  Surrounded by Love
John Stark  Black Witch Moth
Rana Begum  Number 45
J.A Nicholls  Born Again
Kay Harwood  Pin Stripe Teddy Boy
Gavin Tremlett  Untitled
Rachel Shannon  Vignette
Hans Askneim  Chair
Sara Manzott  Let Me Express My Feelings
Lee Johnson & Chris Aldgate  Gelid Eels
David Baxter  Rounds
Ichirota Suzuki  Monolith
Martin Bedford  Devon Tree & 304 Bees
Doris Voetter  Einmal Wirds Rote Rosen Regnen
Angela de Courcy Bower  The Seeker IX 2003
Edward Kay  Behold
Katherine Simpson  Debaser
Gary McDonald  Mallow
Simon Kennleyside  The End of a Beautiful Winter

The judging panel includes: 

• Professor Brendan Neiland, Chairman of Judges and Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools, London, UK
• Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin, Italy
• Pat Andrea, Professor of painting at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Beaux-Arts in Paris and correspondent at the Academie of Fine Arts of Institut de France
• Professor Burkhard Held, Universität der Künste Berlin, Germany
• Zbigniew Turlej, Fundacja Turlej, Poland
• Lorena Martinez, Art Critic and Independent Curator, Barcelona, Spain
• Meredith Etherington-Smith, Chairman of ArtFortnight London, UK
• Christian Ward, Artist and winner of the 2003 Lexmark European Art Prize
• Antonello Cardone, Lexmark Vice President Consumer Printer Division & General Manager Europe

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