Announcement of Winners and Preview of the Portrait Prize Exhibition
WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2021
3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
RCB Galleria, 2nd floor, River City Bangkok
Juries met to review the entries, shortlist the finalists, and select the winners of Thailand’s first portraiture competition, RCB Portrait Prize 2021.
Entries have been received from artists: professional, amateur and student, young and old, female and male, Thai and foreign. Each entry in the Portrait Prize was painted with at least one live sitting, a challenge overcome with help of technology in many cases. The quality of the painting together with the stories of each sitter will be considered by each seven-member jury.
The winners of the Portrait Prize of THB500,000 and the Packing Room Prize of THB 200,000 will be announced in the presence of artists and sitters by the juries at River City Bangkok on Wednesday 29 September.
Speaking about yesterday’s judging, Linda Cheng, Managing Director of River City Bangkok said:
As I walked into the room filled with the180 paintings, I was overwhelmed by the intensity that only true human stories can emit. Emotions of human compassion, connection, integrity with loved ones, close acquaintances and even strangers leaping out of the canvases reached directly into my heart moved me. In this age when so many see others through perceived perfect, often modified, photos on social media, the Portrait Prize is championing true human spirit in celebrating the importance of genuine and warm vitality that can only transpire through real human connections. What is more important is the love for one another shown through every painting and its story. During the darkest hours, it is these strong thoughts of one another, or even oneself, that will get us through. We invite you to witness and share these human stories that remind us of one of the most meaningful human values of our lives.
The public also have an opportunity to select a winner. Every person visiting the Portrait Prize Exhibition (30 September to 7 December) will have the opportunity to select their favourite painting and story. The votes will be tallied and the People’s Choice Prize of THB100,000 will be announced at the close of the exhibition.
RCB is also providing a platform for artists to sell their paintings if they so choose, thus helping to supplement the income of many who have been financially disadvantaged during the period of COVID-19.
In addition, RCB hopes that by visiting the Portrait Prize Exhibition, more artists will be motivated to enter Portrait Prize 2022.
