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The €30,000 Lexmark European Art Prize has been inundated with hundreds of entries from across Europe but one entry in particular is already causing quite a stir amongst the panel of judges. Raising the well-versed debate of "what is art?", the work is particularly fascinating - particularly as there is such a large prize fund at stake.
The entry is by 25 year old Richard Parker, an artist currently based in London who has submitted a canvas painted with pure white emulsion paint. Richard says the painting was inspired by the concept that 'nothing is something' and that his own 'solitude and emptiness' one Sunday afternoon inspired the unusual painting. Commenting on his entry Richard said, "I love the concept of clean lines and fresh white paint. I think white is a very emotive colour - I'm very pleased with the end result".
Commenting on the entry, Tony Hall, Director, Consumer Printer Division, Lexmark said, "This work is really extraordinary, and it does raise a very interesting debate about the interpretation of art and what different art means to different people"
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.
The ground-breaking Lexmark Art Prize is the first ever art prize to be launched on a pan-European basis and 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 is a truly democratic prize that is open to all, with a key aim being to make art more accessible to everyone.
The overall Lexmark European Art Prize winner will be announced during the FIAC art week in Paris in October 2003.
The competition will build upon Lexmark's existing relationships within the art world and reinforces the company's growing commitment to the arts. Its award-winning website and portal, www.print-art.com, is a virtual gallery of fine art, delivering printable masterpieces direct to a PC.
* 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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