ING Discerning Eye Exhibition Opens at London's Mall Galleries with 6,000 Small-Scale Works

The ING Discerning Eye exhibition returns to London's Mall Galleries from November 15 to 24, 2024, featuring over 6,000 small-scale artworks submitted by 2,400 artists nationwide. All works measure under 20 inches (50 centimeters), showcasing painting, drawing, sculpture, print, photography, video, textile, and ceramic media. Six judges—art critic Will Gompertz, Paul Carey-Kent, Adebanji Alade, Nina Murdoch, Carol Leonard, and Gabrielle Blackman—curated the show, selecting pieces that combine emerging talent with established names. Gompertz expressed excitement about the chosen artists, some long-admired and others newly discovered. Sculptor Ben Russell creates fluid-looking stone works inspired by West Dorset's landscape, while Nicole Farhi explores the human form through fragmented clay bodies. Former solicitor Diana Havenhand examines aging and memory in paintings like View from the Bus, and Felicity Starr's oil works capture everyday objects with contemporary realism. Artist and selector Nina Murdoch emphasized the challenge of curating a diverse group across career stages and mediums. All exhibited works are available for purchase through the exhibition's online gallery.