The National Portrait Gallery Invites the Public to Vote on the “Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009”

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery’s “Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009,” prize winners were announced in October. Now visitors to the museum and the Web may vote for their own favorite portrait to win another component of the competition, “The People’s Choice Award.” Voting can take place at a kiosk located in the exhibition and online at portraitcompetition.si.edu. Voting closes Jan. 18, 2010, and the “People’s Choice Award” winner will be announced Jan. 24, 2010.

The results of the “People’s Choice Award” will be noted in the exhibition and the artist will be contacted to coordinate a special tour and artist talk that will be open to the public.

The jurors selected Dave Woody of Fort Collins, Colo., as the first-prize winner. Woody received a cash award of $25,000 and will be given a separate commission from the Portrait Gallery to portray a remarkable living American for its permanent collection. Second prize was awarded to Stanley Rayfield of Richmond, Va. Third prize went to Adam Vinson of Jenkintown, Pa. Commended artists are Margaret Bowland, Yolanda del Amo, Gaela Erwin and Emil Robinson.

Jurors were Wanda M. Corn, professor emerita in art history at Stanford University; Kerry James Marshall, artist; Brian O’Doherty, artist and critic; and Peter Schjeldahl, art critic for The New Yorker. Jurors from the National Portrait Gallery were Martin E. Sullivan, director; Carolyn K. Carr, deputy director and chief curator; and Brandon Brame Fortune, curator of painting and sculpture.

“The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009” exhibition will be on view through Aug. 22, 2010. An endowment from the late Virginia Outwin Boochever has enabled the museum to conduct a national portrait competition and exhibition that encourages artists to explore the art of portraiture.

The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture at Eighth and F streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000; (202) 633-5285 (TTY). Web site: npg.si.edu.

# # #

SI-534-2009