Derwent Art Prize 2024 Exhibition

My large brooding drawing 'Dark Park' has been shortlisted for the Derwent Art Prize 2024.

Dark Park. 2023. ‘Inktense’ pencil on paper. 42cm x 59.4cm

The Derwent Art Prize 2024 Exhibition is now open. Out of 6000 entries, my spooky work was chosen to hang alongside 67 other pieces at the Gallery @ OXO in London until 14th April. Don’t forget to vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice award here. Many of the pieces are also for sale.

Solastalgia Exhibition at Turf Projects

I am taking part in a group exhibition called Solastalgia at Turf Projects, Croydon.

Installation view of the exhibition ‘Solastalgia’. Works shown are by Anita Wadsworth, Matt Bannister, Asha Fontenelle, Flora Hunt, Dave Miller.

“Solastalgia occurs when someone feels a sense of anxiety, grief, or loss due to the degradation or alteration of their home environment. It is the inability to find solace in one’s surroundings.”

 The end of 2023 marked Turf Projects’ 10 year anniversary. It has been a time to look back at the journey the organisation has been on, celebrating all that we’ve achieved; and also to look forward to the space we are yet to carve out, the Croydon of the future we would like to create.

Following on from themes from our last programme ’Desire Paths’, and linking in to Turf’s year of ‘demystification’, Turf staff, studio holders, and collective members have contributed works to a group show exploring our relation to home, to sense of belonging, to Croydon and space – or lack thereof.

‘Solastalgia’ incorporates the work of 21 artists and groups to create a communal Croydon folklore; some works that celebrate our shared space, and some that show longing for those that have been lost.

Installation view of the exhibition ‘Solastalgia’. Dark Park by Matt Bannister.

Installation view of the exhibition ‘Solastalgia’. Works shown are Dark Park by Matt Bannister and pieces by Asha Fontenelle, and Dave Miller.

My large scale drawing (the largest I’ve done for a good few years) Dark Park is on display for the first part of the exhibition until 22nd March. From 23rd March to 27th April other pieces by me TBC will be on show.

Installation view of the exhibition ‘Solastalgia’. Photograph: ©Zoe Maxwell.

‘Solastalgia’ at Turf Projects. Photograph: ©Zoe Maxwell.

26 Jan – 27 Apr 2024

Turf Projects, 46-47 Trinity Court, Whitgift Centre, Croydon CR01UQ

Free & open to all

Royal Society of British Artists 2024 Exhibition

I was very lucky to have been one of the non-members selected for the Royal Society of British Artists 2024 Exhibition.

February by Matt Bannister (framed)

Here’s my work ‘February’ that Croydonians may also recognise from the banners hanging from lamp posts in and around the town (See previous post). Not surprisingly there were lots of great pieces by the artists at the exhibition at The Mall Galleries. There is now an online catalogue to view the show here.

Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize reaches Dorset

My drawing ‘Swerve’ is now on tour as part of the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 Exhibition and is on show at TheGallery, AUB Arts University Bournemouth.

Swerve. 2022. Framed.

© TheGallery AUB

The AUB hang was curated by Violet M McLean and Millie Lake. The annual Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize celebrates talent and excellence in current drawing practice. The exhibition provides an important platform for artists, designers and makers and champions the role, breadth, and value of drawing today.

Installation view. TheGallery AUB. Photograph by Eliza Nade. © TheGallery AUB

Installation view. TheGallery AUB. Photograph by Eliza Nade. © TheGallery AUB

  • Open until 16 April 2024.

  • Tuesday to Thursday: 9.00am – 5.00pm. Saturday: 9.00am – 1.00pm.

  • TheGallery AUB, Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), Poole, Dorset BH12 5HH

For more information visit aub.ac.uk/latest/trinity-buoy-wharf-drawing-prize-2023-touring-exhibition

ING Discerning Eye 2023 Exhibition

A bit of late news but my trio of wood panel drawings ‘Junction’, ’Stafford Road’ and ‘Vauxhall’ and my two Devon paintings ‘Pause (I)’ and ‘Pause (II)’ were all selected for the 2023 ING Discerning Eye Exhibition at the end of last year.


It was held at The Mall Galleries from 17th to 26th November 2023, and online until the 31st December 2023. The ING Discerning Eye annual exhibition is a show of small, domestic scale, works independently selected by six prominent figures from different areas of the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics. This is the third time I’ve exhibited with the Discerning Eye (I was previously selected in 2020 and 2022).

I had a lively lovely evening at the artists’ opening of the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition. It was great to have five pieces on the large wall curated by Tony Adams. Excuse the double-posed photo composite but I couldn’t get them all in the same frame with me! So good to have four of them hanging together.

The exhibition was curated by a star-studded panel including singer Ian “H” Watkins and former England footballer Tony Adams among other tastemakers. Out of 6,500 entries, 628 artworks by 387 creatives were shortlisted for this prestigious show. The ING Discerning Eye showcases talent in a wide range of media – painting, drawing, sculpture, print, photography, video, textile, ceramic and more. This is the 25th year of the Discerning Eye charity’s partnership with bank ING.

Penny Harris and Marine Costello discuss the work. [ Photo: Parker Harris ]

Penny Harris and Marine Costello discuss the work. [ Photo: Parker Harris ]