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It's been just a few months since the launch of the Lexmark European Art Prize, but Lexmark has already been inundated with hundreds of entries from across Europe.
The ground breaking Lexmark European Art Prize is the first ever art prize to be launched on an annual pan-European basis. The winning artist will be awarded €30,000 to help them achieve their ambitions in the art arena.
The origin of the entries has surprised the judges with the majority being submitted from Northern European countries, with Finland, Belgium, Norway, United Kingdom and Sweden currently leading the way.
Commenting on the award, Professor Brendan Neiland, Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools and Chairman of the Lexmark European Art Prize said, "Traditionally we expect most artists to reside in Southern Europe, in countries such as Italy and Spain, but the results of the Lexmark European Art Prize appear to suggest differently. Perhaps we are witnessing a shift in the art world, whereby more and more artists are emerging in Scandinavia."
Accompanying Professor Neiland on the judging panel are a number of well respected figures from the European art world including, Meredith Etherington-Smith, Editor of ArtReview, Gerad Goodrow, Director of European Contemporary Department at Christie's, Jan Hoet, Director of the S.M.A.K Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgium, Patrizia Sandretto di Rebaudengo, a major private contemporary art collector from Turin and Maria del Corral Director of La Fundacio Caixa in Barcelona.
Lexmark is inviting artists to submit previously un-exhibited paintings* to the competition. Although the debate about the talent of controversial conceptual artists and the inaccessibility of their work still rages, Lexmark has recognised a recent renaissance in painting, and is keen to celebrate the return of this genre to the European art scene through its prize. The initiative will be a truly democratic prize that is open to all, with a key aim being to make art more accessible to everyone.
It's not too late to enter! Entries are accepted until March 31st 2003 and can be submitted electronically via www.print-art.com. The overall Lexmark European Art Prize winner will be announced during the FIAC art week in Paris in October 2003.
Commenting on the award, Tony Hall, Director, Consumer Printer Division, UK said, "The response has been phenomenal, we've received entries from all over Europe. We're delighted to see that the number of painters has not diminished in the light of the recent rise in conceptual art. We will continue to assist and support painters and paintings across Europe."
* Only one entry is permitted per person. The entry must be a painting and be available for high quality scanning for submission. For further information on the awards and to enter visit www.print-art.com.
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