National Museums Liverpool Blog - Nick Fox donates prizewinning work

This month paintings from across the UK will be arriving in Liverpool for the second stage of judging for John Moores Painting Prize.

One person who knows exactly how the entrants will be feeling right now is Nick Fox who was a prizewinner in 2010 with the beautiful painting 'Metatopia'.

Nick has recently very generously donated the painting to the Walker Art Gallery where it joins an outstanding collection of contemporary art.

Nick Fox with his prizewinning painting, 'Metatopia'

We’re thrilled the work is back on show for our visitors so we've arranged for Nick to come and discuss the painting, his practice and the Prize in more detail in a free talk on Friday 4 May at 1pm.

Here Nick tells us why he decided to donate 'Metatopia' to the gallery.

The Walker Art Gallery is one of the most important cultural institutions in this country housing a world class art collection. The historical collection and contemporary works held at the Walker were an inspiration to me when I was studying Fine Art in Liverpool. The works stimulated my fascination with the endurance of myth and storytelling, in particular the way Classical painting, Victorian visual culture and decorative craft objects, have currency with contemporary narratives of longing, seduction and romance. It felt right that I give something important like 'Metatopia', a signature work that represents this mediation, back to a city, an art gallery and a collection that has inspired me so much.

Attending the John Moores 2010 award ceremony at the Walker was an amazing experience and I was struck by the significance of the John Moores exhibition and contemporary collection in mediating and anchoring this outstanding historic collection. It’s essential that this heritage of conversation between old and new continues to provoke debate, offer critical relevance and nourish contemporary culture, particularly in light of restrictive cuts to funding across the arts sector.

I’m delighted that 'Metatopia' will be joining the Walker’s critically illuminating and world-class contemporary collection and honoured that it will be hung alongside champions of painting past and present.

Nick has a solo presentation at Volta8, Basel with Vane Gallery, opening in Basel on the 10th June.

John Moores 2012 judges George Shaw and Iwona Blazwick share their thoughts on the first stage of judging in our latest video.