John Moores Prize Winners, the Walker Art Gallery

I revisited the Walker Art Gallery today and wandered off with my notebook having a really good look around. I particularly enjoyed the John Moores Prize Winners section, a lot of the paintings were very much to my taste. Peter Doig’s painting 'Blotter' won first prize in John Moores 18, 1993. This was a turning point in his career and he was short listed for the Turner Prize in 1994.

'Double-Tongued Knowability', David Leapman, 1995. The painting establishes a contrast between areas of pure, bright colour and a nervous, charged draughtsmanship, creating a collision of formal ‘opposites’

Michael Raedecker’s earthy paintings contain a various range of media, such as thread, painted thread, sequins and paint. The thread is mainly used to create horizontal shadows and until you fully examine the painting, it is quite hard to tell that he has used these other materials. I love the atmosphere he has created in this John Moores winner from 1999, it is called ‘Mirage’.

Martin Greenland, winner of the John Moores Prize of 2006, with his piece ‘Before Vermeer’s Clouds’ depicts his idea of what Heaven may look like. The sheer depth to this painting stunned me, the dark and rich colours work together so effectively and it was very easy to become engrossed in this artist’s idea of Heaven.