Congratulations to Noel Bensted
Finalist for the BP Portrait Awards 2011
Noel continues to display the vitality of his
paintings as he selects his subjects from a wide range of subjects
from a wide range of sources, Cuba, the boxing ring, the dance
studio and urban life of young people.
He is fearless in his approach to the canvas,
not allowing himself to be intimidated by architectural interiors
and complex grouping of models, nor is he tempted to take the
easy route when depicting the human figure. Noel relishes the
challenge of a complex yet powerful pose; this can be seen from
his accomplished painting Ballerina Stretching.
His paintings are known for their sensuous nature,
yet he achieves from a practical and straightforward approach.
His is solidly grounded, he constantly works from life, which
by its very nature enables him to develop and renew his visual
and practical resources.
The exuberance of his paintings does not rely
on a vibrant colour palette, but on a determination to allow
his painterly abilities to be liberated, and not confine to
clichéd imagery and presentation.
Noel Bensted is a young artist who we feel confident
is going to establish himself as a leading British figurative
artist in the coming years
The BP Portrait Awards
The BP Portrait Award is the most prestigious
portrait competition in the world, promoting the very best in
contemporary portrait painting. With a first prize of £25,000,
the exhibition has proved the launch pad for the careers of
a number of successful portrait artists.
The exhibition runs at the National Portrait Gallery from June
16th until September.
