Philippa Beale presented with cultural award
Curator and artist Philippa Beale has been presented with a Special Recognition Cultural Award in recognition of her contribution to promoting Gibraltar, its art and its artists on the international stage.
The award was presented by the Minister for Culture, Christian Santos, during a reception at the Mayor’s Parlour while Ms Beale was in Gibraltar for the opening and related events for the Traces of Humanity project, organised by Gibraltar Cultural Services on behalf of the Ministry of Culture.
The recognition acknowledges more than a decade of collaboration between Ms Beale and Gibraltar Cultural Services, during which she has worked to showcase Gibraltar's artists and creative sector to audiences beyond the Rock.
Among the projects delivered through that partnership are two exhibitions at Bermondsey in London, the major exhibition Being With Trees and, most recently, Traces of Humanity, which culminated in exhibitions in Margate, London's West End and Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar leg of Traces of Humanity brought together works by local and international artists across several venues, exploring shared themes of identity, memory and human experience. The exhibition formed part of a wider programme of events organised by Gibraltar Cultural Services, including artist talks and public engagement activities, and followed earlier exhibitions in the UK before concluding on the Rock.
The eight Gibraltarian artists represented in the exhibition are Ambrose Avellano, Ermelinda Duarte, Mark Montovio, Alan Perez, Monica Popham, Sebastian Rodriguez, Michele Stagnetto and Karl Ullger.
Artists exhibiting from the Lloyd's Art Group are Philippa Beale, Sophie Brassey, Ore Daodu, Susannah Hubert, Chloe Hughes, Matthew Inwood, Katie Murrell, Yap Pau Ling, Chris Plato, Priya Shah and Les Williams.
Invited artists are Rosalind Archer, Andrew Carnie, Peter Clossick, Herve Constant, Tim Craven, Frank Creber, Ferha Farooqui, Paul Finn, Vaughan Grylls, Natasha Lien, Fiona McIntyre, Sarah Medway, Angela Rumble, Tom Shipman, Maria Storey, Sandra Wore and Alex Wright.
Beyond organising exhibitions, Ms Beale has also worked with Gibraltar Cultural Services to explore opportunities for developing studio spaces in Gibraltar, drawing inspiration from successful creative studio models in Woolwich. The initiative is aimed at supporting the future development of Gibraltar's artistic community.
Mr Santos said: “With the support of the Cultural Awards Board, it gives me a great pleasure to recognise Philippa Beale, for her unwavering commitment to Gibraltar’s cultural landscape and her unrelenting support for our artists over more than a decade.
“She has been instrumental in supporting the Governments vision, in exporting and promoting our art abroad.
“Her vision, dedication and commitment have seen Gibraltar placed on the international map through numerous projects strengthening cultural links between the Rock and the wider art world.”
The award was presented in acknowledgement of Ms Beale's role in helping raise the international profile of Gibraltar's cultural sector and fostering links between local artists and the wider art world.
Traces of Humanity is open to the public until July 31 at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 10.30am to 6.30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 1.30pm. Admission is free.
