Press  Release  

Tuesday  27  May  2014  

Winner  announced  for  East  London’s  new  annual  painting  prize  

Nathan  Eastwood   from  Newham  has   tonight  been  awarded  the   inaugural  East   London  Painting  Prize.  Selected   from  over  300  submissions  by  artists   from  across  East  London,  Nathan   receives   a   life   changing   £10,000   prize   and   a   prominent   solo   show   at   East  London’s  Nunnery  Gallery  later  this  year.      

The  East  London  Painting  Prize  has  been  created  by  The  Legacy  List,  the  charity  of  Queen  Elizabeth   Olympic   Park   with   the   Goldhill   Family,   Zabludowicz   Collection,   and   in  association   with   Bow   Arts.   The   prize   honours   the   life   and   work   of   painter   and  philanthropist,  Jack  Goldhill  and  commemorates  his  major  contributions  to  the  east  End.      

Nathan  was   selected   from   a   shortlist   of   43   artists   by   a   panel   of  nationally   renowned  curators   and   artists,   comprising   Sarah   Elson   (Contemporary   Art   Society   and   Bow   Arts  Board),  Matt   Price   (art   critic   and   curator),   Varda   Caivano   (artist),  Michael   Goldhill   and  Maitreyi  Maheshwari  (Acting  Director  of  Zabludowicz  Collection).  

Claire  Gevaux,  Head  of  Creative  Programmes  of  The  Legacy  List  said:  “We  are  proud  to  announce  Nathan  Eastwood  as  the  first  winner  of  this  auspicious  prize.  Having  developed  the   prize   to   reflect   the   very   best   of   east   London   talent   and   give   a   platform   to  contemporary  painters,  we  are  delighted   that  Nathan,  with  his   representation  of  every  day  life  in  east  London,  has  been  awarded  this  prize.”    

Nathan’s   paintings   describe   small  moments   in   everyday   life   in  meticulous   detail,   from  cleaning   the   bathroom   to  mulling   thoughts   over   a   cup   of   tea.   Using   enamel   paint   on  board  and  a  grey  palate,  Nathan  builds  up  layers  of  paint  to  create  images  which  are  both  photorealistic,  yet  riddled  with  imperfections  of  trapped  dust  and  loose  brushwork.    

Born   in   Scotland,   Nathan   now   lives   and   works   in   Newham.   He   graduated   from   Byam  Shaw  School  of  Fine  Art  in  2009,  and  has  gone  on  to  exhibit  in  a  range  of  shows  including  the  Royal  Academy  of  Arts  Summer  Exhibition   (2013),  Contemporary  British  Painting  at  The  Crypt,  St  Marylebone  (2013);  and  Towards  a  New  Socio-­‐Painting,  a  Transition  Gallery  touring  show  this  year.  

For  his  solo  exhibition   in   the  Autumn,  Nathan  plans  to  create  a  new  series  of  paintings  focusing  on  domestic   life,   inspired  by  his  surroundings  in  east  London.  He  will  also  now  be  able  to  invest  in  a  bigger  studio,  allowing  him  to  undertake  more  ambitious  works.    

Michael   Goldhill,   representative   of   the  Goldhill   Family   said:   “The   selection  of  Nathan  Eastwood   is   testament   to   the  Goldhill   Family’s  desire   to   support  artists   at   all   stages  of  their  careers.    My  father  would  have  been  a  proud  advocate  of  the  panel’s  choice.”  

Maitreyi   Maheshwari,   Acting   Director   of   Zabludowicz   Collection   said:   “Nathan's  painting  was  both  a  thoughtful  and  exciting  submission  and  his  practice  suggests  a  very  distinctive   style   and   approach   to   the  medium.  Winning   the   first   East   London   Painting  Prize  will  facilitate  his  ambitious  plans  for  the  future.”

Rosamond  Murdoch,   Director   of   the  Nunnery   Gallery   said:     “Nathan’s  painting  Nico’s  Café  is  a  eulogy  to  old  East  London  without  being  stuck  in  the  past  –  it  is  a  painting  that  still  speaks  of  today.  I  am  extremely  excited  to  work  with  Nathan  to  curate  his  first  solo  exhibition  later  this  year.”  

Nathan  Eastwood’s  solo  show  as  winner  of  the  East  London  Painting  Prize  will  take  place  at  the  Nunnery  Gallery  in  October  2014.  For  further  information  see  www.bowarts.com    

 -­‐ENDS-­‐      SUPPORTING  THE  PRIZE:    The  Goldhill  Family    

The  Goldhill   Family   inspired   the  prize  with   their  wish   to   commemorate   the   life  of   Jack  Goldhill.    A  property  developer  and  philanthropist,  Goldhill  was  one  of  the  chief  figures  in  the  post-­‐second  world  war  reconstruction  of  Britain  and  fittingly,  the  regeneration  of  the  war  damaged  east   end.    A   keen  amateur   artist   himself,  Goldhill’s   name   is   synonymous  

with   arts   philanthropy   in   the   UK.   He   was   a   major   benefactor   to   national   cultural  institutions,   supporting   over   70   charitable   organisations   for   more   than   four   decades  including  the  Royal  Academy  of  Arts  and  the  Princes  Drawing  School.  

 Zabludowicz  Collection  

Founded  in  1994,  the  Zabludowicz  Collection  brings  emerging  art  to  new  audiences  and  supports   arts   organisations   and   artists.   This   dynamic   and   growing   collection   spans   40  years  of  art  from  the  1970s  to  today,  and  exhibits   in  permanent  venues   in  the  UK,  USA  and   Finland.   The   Collection’s   activities   are   shaped   by   an   ethos   of   philanthropy   and   a  

commitment   to   engaging   with   local   contexts   and   communities. www.zabludowiczcollection.com      

The  Legacy  List  

The   Legacy   List   is   a   founding   partner   of   the   East   London   Painting   Prize.   They   are   an  independent   charity   for   Queen   Elizabeth   Olympic   Park,   set   up   in   2011   to   support   the  legacy   of   the   London   2012   Olympic   and   Paralympics   Games.   The   Legacy   List   develop,  commission   and   support   high   quality   art,   education   and   skill   building   initiatives   to  engage,  educate  and  inspire  current  and  future  generations.  www.thelegacylist.org.uk  

 Bow  Arts  

Bow   Arts   supports   community   renewal   in   East   London.   It   was   established   as   an  educational  arts  charity  in  1996  based  in  East  London,  where  it  supports  a  community  of  over   400   artists   with   affordable,   secure,   creative   workspace   in   the   heart   of   London's  Artist   Quarter.     Alongside   this,   Bow   Arts   manages   one   of   the   country's   most   exciting  education  programmes,  which  takes  world-­‐class  artists  into  schools  to  improve  the  lives  and   learning   of   children   and   young   people.     Bow   Arts   runs   the   Nunnery   Gallery,   a  contemporary   art   gallery,   which   supports   a   diverse   range   of   local,   national   and  international   exhibitions   and   events   as  well   as   the   delivery   of   public   art   commissions.    The  East  London  Painting  Prize  winner  will  be  offered  their  own  solo  exhibition  within  the  Nunnery  Gallery’s  autumn  2014  programme.  www.bowarts.org    

EAST  LONDON  PAINTING  PRIZE  SHORTLIST  EXHIBITION  DETAILS:  

Nathan’s  work   features   in  an  exhibition  of  paintings  by  all  43  artists   shortlisted   for   the  East  London  Painting  Prize  at  Strand  East,  1  Sugar  House  Lane,  London,  E15  2QS.    

Open  to  public  daily  until  1  June  2014,  11am  –  6pm.    

See   www.bowarts.org   for   further   information   about   curated   tours,   guided   walks   and  panel  discussions  during  the  exhibition  

www.strandeast.com    

 

FOLLOW  THE  CONVERSATION:  

#ELPP14  @TheLegacyList  @BowArts  

 

Bow  Arts  Contact  Details/Press  Enquiries:  

Rosamond  Murdoch,  Gallery  Director,  Tel:  020  8980  7774  Email:  rmurdoch@bowarts.com    Laura  Ransome,  Gallery  Assistant,  Tel:  020  8980  7774,  Email:  nunnery@bowarts.com    Web:  www.bowarts.org  |  https://twitter.com/BowArts  |  www.facebook.com/bowarts      

 

The  Legacy  List  Contact  Details/Press  Enquiries:  

Sophie  Woodward,  Media  Consultant  Tel:  07739  584  293    

Email:  sophie@sawcommunications.co.uk