BT Art of Sport Exhibition comes to Surrey

BT Art of Sport has chosen University of Surrey’s Lewis Elton Gallery and Surrey Sport’s Park to host the London 2012 exhibition of Olympic-inspired art as part of the Cultural Olympiad programme.

June 2012 will open the doors to the exhibition displaying the art work of the BT Art of Sport project featuring painting, sculpture and photography produced by twelve prominent artists.

The artists have been commissioned by London 2012 premier partner BT, with guest contributor Faith Winter.

The artists will draw upon the passionate nature of Olympic athleticism in order to portray the drama of this historic event.

In order to fully capture the true Olympic experience the artists will work closely with Great Britain’s elite sportsmen and women.

Surrey Sports Park Chief Executive, Paul Blanchard said: “We are both excited and proud to be hosting the BT Art of Sport exhibition here at Surrey Sports Park ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The exhibition is set to be a spectacular visual showcase of both the Games and some of the UK's leading artistic talent and I encourage everyone to head to Surrey Sports Park and the Lewis Elton Gallery to take a look.”

University of Surrey has revealed that artists included in the project are prominent sculptor Ben Dearnley, who will be working with traditional bronze and statuary marble.

Dearnley will in fact be working on a “Modern Day Heroes” series sculpting Olympian and Paralympic athletes Mark Foster, Leon Taylor and Ade Adepitan MBE.

Jeremy Houghton will apply water colours to Olympic control and stealth as well as former street artist Dylan Izaak, whose complex pen and ink portraits portray the exciting atmosphere of the Olympics.

Classical realist painter Darren Barker’s work will also be present alongside Richards Booth’s emotive photography and Dominic Wheadon’s passionate interpretation of sports and water.

The artist recently awarded the Silver Medal for the Sculpture at the Royal Academy Schools, Lorne McKean has recently finished a commission for BT ambassador and Olympic dressage gold medallist Lee Pearson and his horse Gentleman.

Teresa Witz will be exploring her interest in the portrayal of ordinary people as “iconic unknowns” capturing the position of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.

Associate member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors Christine Charlesworth and large scale sculptor Michael Speller will also present their interpretation of the energy and passion behind the Olympic and Paralympic athletes.