Martin Gayford is an Artwork Critic for The Spectator and writer of books on David Hockney, Antony Gormley and extra. He joins the skilled judges panel for Jackson’s Portray Prize 2023 and right here, he shares his exhibition highlights of the previous 12 months and recommendation to these excited about coming into the competitors this 12 months.
Above picture: Pages from Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud 1939–1954, 2022 by Martin Gayford and David Dawson
May you inform us a bit about your self and your work?
Martin: I’m a author, primarily about artwork. Over time I’ve been an artwork critic for a number of publications together with the Every day Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and Spectator. Amongst my books are biographic works about Van Gogh, Michelangelo and Constable. I’ve written steadily on David Hockney (together with two works co-written with him) and Lucian Freud. Shaping the World: Sculpture from Prehistory to Now (2020) was a collaboration with Antony Gormley. Spring Can not Be Cancelled, co-written with David Hockney, appeared in 2021. My most up-to-date e book is Love Lucian (2022), a set of Lucian Freud’s early correspondence, co-edited with David Dawson. I’ve sat for portraits by each Hockney and Lucian Freud.
Love Lucian – The Letters of Lucian Freud 1939–1954 2022
David Dawson and Martin Gayford
What have been your exhibition highlights of 2022? Who’re the artists or artworks you had been most impressed by this previous 12 months?
Martin: Properly, for me 2022 was a 12 months during which I spent a variety of time organising exhibitions of which I used to be a part of the curatorial crew together with Hockney’s Eye on the Fitzwilliam Museum and Downing Faculty, Cambridge and Lucian Freud: The Painter and his Household on the Freud Museum, London. In any other case I used to be significantly struck by the Freud present on the Nationwide Gallery, Household Relations at Gagosian, and quite a lot of shows on the Venice Biennale.
Spring Can not Be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy, 2022
David Hockney and Martin Gayford
How vital do you assume awards and competitions are for artists at this time?
Martin: Properly, they’re definitely a part of the sport, however artwork shouldn’t be the identical as sport – and it is very important do not forget that one of the best individual doesn’t essentially win.
The Pursuit of Artwork: Travels, Encounters and Revelations, 2019
Martin Gayford
What’s going to you be in search of within the entries submitted to the competitors this 12 months?
Martin: Originality, visible sensitivity and pizazz.
Shaping the World: Sculpture from Prehistory to Now, 2020
Antony Gormley and Martin Gayford
Do you may have any recommendation for artists on the market excited about coming into Jackson’s Portray Prize this 12 months?
Martin: A very powerful recommendation for any artist (or author) is to maintain at it.
