Image: Valeriy Gridnev, ‘Child’
Susan Ryder, ‘Oliver, Ben and Annabel,
Paul Brason, ‘Judy’
“The RP is portrait painting central & it seemed really obvious to engage with people who are interested in and might like to write about portrait painting. We’re trying to encourage those with ideas and views about any aspect of the contemporary portrait to share them. In turn we hope that sharing will encourage reaction and debate.
“What fascinates me much, much more than does anything else in my metier is the portrait, the modern portrait.” – V. van Gogh
“the modern portrait”!
Van Gogh thought the portrait, ‘the modern portrait’, much, much more fascinating than anything else in painting.
I suppose a lot has changed since 1890, including the transformation of an obscure failure into an icon of modern culture.
Have a look at our website for details of the the RP Critical Writing Prize.”
– President RP, Anthony Connolly
The RP Critical Writing Prize:
An award for new writing on any aspect of contemporary portrait painting.
The prize is open to all.
Applicants are invited to send a proposal or pitch for a new text, alongside an example of previous writing. Three of the applicants will be selected to realise the proposed text and awarded either the first prize of £500 or one of two ‘special mention’ prizes of £250.
All three texts will be published in the RP Annual Exhibition Catalogue published in May (2025). The catalogue is a well-established document of
DEADLINE 30th JUNE
