First-year BA (Hons) Photography student Kymara Akinpelumi and AUB Photography Lecturer Lauren Forster will see their Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize entries exhibited at The National Gallery’s Cromwell Place arts space at the end of 2021.
Both Kymara and Lauren have celebrated successes earlier this year at the LensCulture Portrait Awards, where Kymara’s Dichotomy portraiture series was selected as a finalist, and fellow entrant Lauren’s Self-portrait with Dad during Lockdown won first place prize in the single image category.
Winners for the Award will be announced digitally on Monday 8 November 2021, with an exhibition of selected works taking place at The National Gallery’s associated art space Cromwell Place, while the National Gallery Building in St. Martin’s Place remains closed for major development works.
Kymara's recent work Dichotomy is an introspective practice which aims to investigate her dualities and how they have played out within her life, providing an in-depth exploration on childhood whilst intending to de-polarise racial narratives.
Speaking about her recent success, fellow Exhibitor and LensCulture Award Winner Lauren Forster, said: “This award means a lot to me and it is a huge honour to be included in it this year. It is great to be recognised for what I do and what I am so passionate about.
“The portrait is part of a larger series which started as a response to address the inevitable changes shaped by my mother’s death, focusing on the transitional experience of my father. The work contemplates mortality, love and loss whilst also exploring our relationship as father and daughter.”
Past winners in the prestigious competition have included Alys Tomlinson for Samuel, Jack and Jameela from the series Lost Summer in 2020 and Pat Martin’s Gail and Beaux; Mom (our last one) in 2019.
