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INTRODUCTION

THE INTERNATIONAL
PRIZE WINNERS

THE PAINTINGS

THE JUDGING

THE AWARDS CEREMONY

EXHIBITIONS & MORE

PRESS INFORMATION

SITE MAP

FOREWORDS

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES
Patron, Our World in the Year 2000

For my 50th birthday, in 1998, I had the pleasure of initiating and judging an award for young people on the theme Young Artists' Britain. Later, I hosted the award exhibition at Hampton Court Palace and met the young artists and their families. What struck me as truly remarkable was the imagination and creativity with which these talented young people had depicted their impressions of their country. Subsequently, I was delighted to discover that Winsor & Newton, which had generously donated art material prizes, had been inspired to organise a global art competition for the millennium along similar lines. Open to artists of any age, ability, and background, its theme was to be My Country in the Year 2000.

Judging of the worldwide competition took place in June 1999 in the State Apartments at St. James's Palace. I doubt whether these historic rooms have ever witnessed such an extraordinary sight as the rows of paintings from all parts of the world, stacked waiting to be judged. The sheer variety of subjects and styles made it difficult at first to make one's choice, but after much deliberation with my fellow judges, the decision on the winning painting, by the highly gifted Ecuadorian artist, Ramón Piaguaje, was unanimous. Afterwards, it was a revelation to find that he has been painting for only five years, is entirely self-taught and paints deep within the Amazon rainforest where he lives. Interestingly, given the diversity of cultures represented in the competition, many artists, like Ramón, expressed similar hopes and fears for the future of their natural environment, often in a most poignant way.

As an amateur watercolourist myself, I was particularly pleased that so many of the paintings had been submitted by self-taught artists. Indeed, it was humbling to be exposed to their mastery of materials! I hope that their courage in entering the competition, and their willingness to be judged alongside professionals, will inspire many others around the world to pick up a pencil or brush and 'have a go'.

Without the vision and commitment of Winsor & Newton, we would not have been given this unique insight into Our World in the Year 2000. I would like to thank them for asking me to be chairman of the international judging panel and patron of the exhibition, and for nominating my own charity, The Prince's Foundation, to be a beneficiary of funds raised. I would also like to thank Sheeran Lock for organising the exhibition and producing this splendid commemorative catalogue.

Finally, it is especially pleasing to me that the exhibition is to feature so prominently in the millennium programme at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where it will be shown in summer 2000 and seen by all nations. We can all learn a great deal about our world by looking at it through the independent and perceptive eyes of artists. I wish this most worthwhile project every success.