Congratulations
go to Northgate art student Maria Balanuca for winning the prestigious Anna Airy Award 2016. The exhibition was
organized by the society and hosted at the UCS Waterfront Gallery overlooking
Neptune Quay. The long-established exhibition is renowned for showcasing the
talents of young artists aged 16-20 from all around the county. Indeed, all the
Northgate entries that were submitted were short-listed from a huge entry of
student work from the Ipswich area and beyond.
This year’s adjudicator was artist Kate Bright, lecturer at The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL. Bright specialises in
landscape painting and the ideas of illusion. Her work has been exhibited in
the British Art Show, as well as in numerous solo shows both internationally
and within the UK. Commenting on Maria’s painting entitled ‘Digital
Perspective’ and some of the factors that contributed towards her winning the
prize:
‘The empty centre of the painting shows the view, but the
viewer is drawn to the boy who is more interested in the screen he is holding.
There is a confidence in the painting that I recognize, as some of the choices
you have made are quite risky, the positioning of the figure, the grass in the
foreground (taking as much attention as the figure) the glimpses of
underpainting that reveal a looseness in your practice that balances well
against the tight composition. However, your painting shows a sophisticated
understanding of composition, point of view and narrative, structure is key to
this worthy winner. Congratulations.’
Darren Beattie,
Head of Art & Design, offered his congratulations to all other Northgate art
students who contributed towards the exhibition and notably Chelsea Spurgeon,
former Year 13 student whose work was awarded a commendation certificate. All the work looked stunning within the space
and was admired by fellow students, family, teachers and artists of all ages.
The open exhibition was well-attended by the Ipswich community and the work was
on show to the public for a further two weeks.
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