Portsmouth artist selected for International Art Prize out of 6000 entries

With a staggering 6,000 entries from 2,324 artists representing 77 countries, the Derwent Art Prize 2024 received an incredible outpouring of creativity from artists worldwide.

An international panel of selectors from the UK, USA and France selected 68 artworks for the exhibition, celebrating the best art made in pencil today.

Among them is Polish-born and Portsmouth-based artist Agata Wojcieszkiewicz, shortlisted for her drawing, "Shelter".

"I was overwhelmed by the number and standard of the entries. It was really difficult to make the selection as there were so many amazing drawings submitted” says Helen Waters, one of the Derwent Art Prize 2024 selectors.

Curtis Holder, artist, Derwent ambassador and Derwent Art Prize selector, echoed this sentiment: "The quality of entries was outstanding, making the selection process both exciting and challenging.”

Over £13,000 in prizes will be awarded to six artists, including the People's Choice Prize, worth £500.

The exhibition is now open, and free to see at gallery@oxo, London, from 4th April to 14th April 2024.

The selected artworks encompass a wide range of styles and subjects, and showcase the talent of artists working in pencil today.

The Derwent Art Prize 2024 is a celebration of the best pencil art worldwide, with artists hailing from Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Sergio Gomez, one of the selectors, expressed admiration for the versatility of the medium, saying, "It's inspiring to think about how many things can be done with a pencil. You can work with a pencil for the rest of your life and every day come up with something new."

Selector Valérie Sonnier emphasized the importance of promoting art in pencil: "I was surprised by the number of submissions and by the seriousness and quality of the works presented. It will be a beautiful exhibition with a great diversity and quality of works."

All shortlisted artists - including Agata Wojcieszkiewicz - are now on exhibiting in the Derwent Art Prize exhibition, open daily at gallery@oxo in London from 4th April to 14th April 2024.

The exhibition will be free to visit from 11am to 6pm, from 4th April to 13th April, and from 11am to 2pm on the closing day, 14th April 2024.

Visitors can expect to see a rich display of art in pencil, ranging from abstraction and experimentation to the hyper-realistic and expressive.