Beyond the Prize | Celebrating Contemporary Figurative Art

‘Beyond the Prize’ is an exhibition featuring over one hundred artists, each a prize winner, brought together as a celebration of contemporary figurative art.

The show is a return to the spotlight for recent award-winning artists, whose new works showcase figurative art as a thriving, contemporary art form.

The exhibition is presented by the Federation of British Artists, a collective of leading art societies based at Mall Galleries - it is here that artists win significant awards at open exhibitions year round, and where many winners will return with new work for this celebratory show.

Exhibitors are award-winning artists from the annual open exhibitions of the art societies within the Federation of British Artists in 2023 and 2024, plus winners of the gallery’s bursaries, residencies and scholarships over the same period.

As ‘Beyond the Prize’ will bring together the ‘best in show’ from several exhibitions focusing on figurative art, expect the whole wide spectrum of figuration. What to expect exactly is up to the expert eye of guest selector, art critic Tabish Khan. Known as “the people’s art critic”, Tabish passionately believes in making art accessible to everyone. He is the visual arts editor for Londonist, a trustee of City & Guilds London Art School, ArtCan, Discerning Eye, and a member of The Critics’ Circle.

As a special feature of the show, selected artists will share their stories: of finding figurative art, becoming winners in their field, and beyond. This will include emerging artists, whose award is their first so far, alongside more established artists, whose award is one accolade among many. Highlighting these stories - through a series of artist interviews - will result in a valuable resource by, about, and for artists whose inspiration is the real world.

Join us this Spring to celebrate figurative art now with new work by recent award-winning artists.