Kilmarnock artist scoops top award

Nov 6 2009 by Ian Russell, Kilmarnock Standard

KILMARNOCK artist Ryan Mutter has won a top award for the third consecutive year at one of Scotland’s most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions.

Ryan, of Ingram Place, scooped the City of Glasgow prize of £1000 at the 148th annual open exhibition by the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (RGI).

The category, open to artists under the age of 40, saw Ryan’s exhibit ‘Construction Begins on the Queen Mary’ find favour with the judges.

In previous years he won the fellowship award and the David Cargill award.

Said a delighted Ryan: “To win something for the third year in a row is amazing. I am thrilled that the selection panel obviously like my work.”

Ryan’s unique style incorporates sepia tones and the panel felt it really transported the viewer to the shipyards depicted.ŠA huge canvas helps to give a sense of size and scale of the project.

Said Gordon Macpherson, RGI president: “Choosing just one winner per category was an extremely difficult task this year. Our selectors were really impressed with the standard of entries, which seems to improve each year.ŠThere were more than 1100 entries this year, so our award winners should be really proud of making it through the process, particularly if they have received one of the main prizes.

“We must congratulate Ryan and our other worthy winners for their superb contributions to another outstanding exhibition.”

All of the winners plus hundreds of other works of art will be on display at the RGI’s hotly-contested annual exhibition, which will run at The Mitchell in Glasgow from today, Thursday, until November 29.