Our sixth Commended Entry for Jackson’s Open Painting Prize has been announced! During the JOPP entry period, we will be commending one entry each week that we think is of exceptional quality. All commended entries are automatically added to the longlist meaning they will be considered for the six Category Prizes, the People’s Choice Award, the Shortlist and the Overall Prize. To submit your work, please go to our Jackson’s Open Painting Prize Website.
Commended Entry Winner: Ben Coode-Adams
‘Shiva and Kali’
Watercolour on board, H69xW91.5×2.5cms
Artist Description:
‘This painting depicts Shiva and Kali, the Hindu gods. They are all powerful but innocent teenagers at the centre of the image turning from voids into solids. Standing in their palace they are flanked by their parents who are already fading as their power drains into Shiva and Kali.’
Jackson’s Judging Panel:
‘Many of this week’s entries were of a very high standard, but ‘Shiva and Kali’ depicted a fantastic, unusual and highly skilled application of paint. Ben Coode-Adams utilized watercolor paints’ transparency, vibrancy, and granulation; despite its flat perspective, this painting’s intelligently layered construction causes forms to shift and change as the eye moves around the work. The simple, very effective repeated line work gives the piece an anatomical, organic feel that suggests concepts of growth, functionality, and connectivity. All of these strong elements are drawn together by the artist’s use of color and bleeding washes, bold reds are balanced by blocks of earthy brown while neon yellows are neutralized by granulated floods of lilac. This painting is the perfect example of how versatile even the most traditional of art materials can be.’
