Thirty artists with great futures in one exhibition

Jerwood Contemporary Painters is an exhibition of works by thirty emerging artists. Created by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, this exhibition promotes the work of those who have moved on from student status but have not yet attained recognition as artists. It also presents a perspective on the concerns and debates in contemporary painting, particularly among artists in the early stages of their careers.

Jerwood has long been committed to painting, and to intelligent and imaginative structures to support young artists in the UK.

The thirty works on show are wide ranging in their approach. There is no theme, idea, tradition, or technique shared by all. However, they are united by the particular interests of the selectors: Graham Crowley; David Rayson; and Elizabeth Magill who have selected the artists on the grounds of innovation, critical content, and skill. The selectors themselves are respected artists who work within painting and who spent months pulling together a long list of artists who interest them and who represent some of the debates within the subject.

Most of the artists the majority of people will not have heard of … yet. From Duncan Swann’s challenging and controversial Storyteller to the awesome and terrifying creature depicted in Ursula Llewellyn’s Light; from the creamy confection of Adam Latham’s Desserted hut to Claire Pestaille’s dark fairytale triptych The soldier boys, the thirty works on exhibition reflect the vigorous health of painting in the UK today.

Five artists in particular challenge our perceptions of what constitutes a painting. They do not paint in the traditional sense. Each of the artists approach their work in a painterly fashion, each is concerned with the discourse of painting. For example, Damien Roach’s River, tree, cloud, sky is essentially a pile of books. Standing back from this arrangement, you can see a very definite landscape in the colours on the spines. Roach is appropriating a different media for his work, but he treats these books like paint.

All the 30 selected artists will receive £1,000, not as a ‘prize’ but as a participation fee. This fee is unusual for any group show or prize in rewarding all the artists showing in the exhibition and is an important part of nurturing serious support for artists at an important point in their careers.

Graham Crowley, chairman of the board of selectors, writes ‘we were delighted with the eventual range of the work assembled for this exhibition. We hope you share that delight.’

Roanne Dods, Director of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: ‘We are committed to three such exhibitions supporting emerging artists working within painting, selected by different groups of practitioners with the aim of understanding where painting stands in the wider context of visual arts practice among artists and to highlight and celebrate the work of those selected to represent that practice. I am very much looking forward to the discussion that this exhibition will provoke.’

The Jerwood Contemporary Painters exhibition runs from 15 February – 31 March at the Jerwood Space, Union Street, London SE1, open 10am – 5pm weekdays and 10am – 3pm weekends. The exhibition then tours from 18 April – 18 May to Bay Arts, Cardiff, and from 30 June – 23 September to The Lowry, Salford Quays. More information: 01372 462190.