Churchill Design Competition

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Churchill Design Competition

Ahead of a new exhibition celebrating the life of Winston Churchill, we present the shortlisted entries to the first Churchill Design Competition

finest art

inston Churchill was far from the model student.

His first headmaster criticised his conduct as being “exceedingly bad” and accused him of lacking ambition. Nor did he do well at Harrow, but years later he was able to tell the students of his former school that they should “never give in”. There can be few better role models for what the individual can achieve.

Already the subject of many portraits, sculptures and cartoons, he is now the inspiration for a new generation of artists and designers, with their work showcased at Churchill’s former wartime command centre, the award-winning Churchill War Rooms underneath Whitehall. The winning entries will be on display there from 12 September.

The works presented here are those shortlisted from many entries to the first Churchill Design Competition. The diversity of approach is a testa-

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Clare Corfield Carr

Title Painting Britain on the Map Media Drawn in fineliner pen; edited digitally.

From the artist This piece illustrates Churchill painting Britain onto the map, a symbol of his great leadership during the war. The British flag colours have a patriarchal quality.

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Churchill Design Competition

Stefanie Tschirky (above and left)

Title Winston Churchill the Journalist, Writer and Thinker Media Books and acrylic paint. from the artist “Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant.

The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public.”

Winston Churchill.

Katie-Jayne Skinner (opposite page)

ment both to his amazing life and to the creative talent in our design schools. Sir Winston Churchill may now be best remembered for his powerful words and inspirational leadership, but he was also a passionate amateur painter and a lifelong proponent of artistic endeavour. He recognised the importance both of the arts to our national life, and innovation and design to our future development.

This competition challenged the UK’s students in the visual arts to be original, creative and innovative in reinterpreting Sir Winston for a contemporary audience.

The Churchill Centre UK is a registered charity that exists to promote interest in Sir Winston’s life and legacy, and aims to develop educational programmes to foster and support the leadership traits and values he has come to represent.

The centre is working with The Pentland Group, itself a champion of design and innovation, on this new competition. Stephen Rubin, chairman of Pentland, says: “For me it is hugely exciting to see how these young designers have brought to life, for a new generation, one of the world’s most formidable and inspiring leaders.” ■ 34 | August 2013 | Total Politics

Title Churchill’s Finest Hour Media 99 per cent hand drawn with a touch of digital editing. from the artist I created my first ever comic page based on aspects of Churchill’s life. The page shows his encouragement to the soldiers during the war from his radio announcement, to a scene of the war (the image in the second panel is based on Omaha Beach), it then reflects on how he was a soldier, and therefore understood what it was like to be in that scenario.

It goes on to show Churchill’s time as prime minister, and celebrating the end of the war.

Nick Jameson (above and right)

Title The Many Hats of Sir Winston Churchill Media Digitally printed onto silk.

From the artist After looking at the different aspects of Churchill’s life, it became clear that everything he did, he did in style.

This is most evident in his love affair with hats. Each hanging hat is a reference to one of his many hobbies.

I have left one hook empty, a solitary dedication to his timeless talents.

The final piece of work will be screen-printed onto card, and be as close to lifesize as possible.

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Churchill Design Competition Harriet Riddell (below)

Title This is Your Victory Media Machine-stitched with mixed media elements.

from the Artist This stitch displays the weight of many men on Churchill’s shoulders. On the left, the sailors are looking down because of the bloody failure of the Dardanelles campaign in 1915, which resulted in the loss of thousands of men.

Carl Hoare (opposite page, top)

Title The Extraordinary Tale of Young Sir Winston Media Pen and ink, watercolour, and a digital finish. from the artist The work I have created is a diagrammatic comic illustration of the great man, reminiscing about his gungho youth, when serving as a reporter with the British army during the Boer war.

Charles Binet (below)

Title Sic Itur ad Astra Media Drawing made on an A4 sheet with a black pen, a lot of dots, and a lot of time! from the artist I depicted Churchill this way to represent the way I see him.

He has long remained in the shadows, but has become integral to UK government policy, to the history of Europe and of the world.

He has an army general’s hard face, a politician’s sharp eyes, and the bald head of a thinker.

Anna Ritchie (opposite page, bottom)

Title Great British Bulldog Shoe Boot Media Shoe upper part: digital print on canvas; heels: wood, and leather sole. from the artist My own drawing of Churchill’s face is warped into a British bulldog, and used as a repeated pattern giving a vintage theme. The British bulldog print was created in Photoshop using a sketch of Churchill’s face merged into a photo of a bulldog. ■

 To find out more about The Churchill Centre UK and to join or support its programmes, including those to mark the 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death in 2015, email tcc. membership@chu.cam.ac.uk 36 | August 2013 | Total Politics

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