A triple celebration was held at Winchester Discovery Centre last week to mark the opening of three exhibitions: BP Portrait Award 2018 in The Gallery and The Mayor’s Choice and ICE Project: Alternative Portraiture exhibitions, both in City Space on the Discovery Centre’s ground floor.
The evening was attended by the Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Frank Pearson, and Miriam Escofet, winner of the BP Portrait Award 2018. Escofet won the world’s most prestigious art competition with a painting of her mother titled An Angel At My Table. Visitors to The Gallery will be able to get a close look of the winning portrait until 26 June.
The Mayor’s Choice is an annual exhibition, on display until 15 May, where the sitting Mayor chooses their favourite items from the collections cared for by HCT. This year’s exhibition is based on the theme of portraiture and features several historical figures who had a personal connection with Winchester including King Charles II, Cardinal Wolsey and Bishop Wickham.
The third exhibition, Alternative Portraiture, showcases artwork created by young people from The ICE Project, a collaboration between HCT and Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, provided by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. It works with vulnerable young people to use art and cultural activities to positively affect psychological health and emotional wellbeing. In recognition of their outstanding creativity in producing their original artwork for the exhibition, the participants were awarded certificates by the Mayor at the evening’s celebrations. The exhibition runs until 24 April and young people from a second HCT project, Horizon 20:20, will have their artwork displayed from 27 April- 15 May.