Six prizes were awarded from the 81 works selected to be shown in this the third National Exhibition which toured from May to October, 1981. Each received £1,500 and an additional prize of £500 funded by Tollemache and Cobbold Breweries was awarded to Brian Falconbridge for the best work entered from the Eastern Counties.
The Exhibition opened at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, came back to Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich and the Castle Museum in Norwich before going to the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and then on to the Mappin Art Gallery in Sheffield.
The Selection Panel, illustrated, comprised, left to right, Paul Huxley, David Brown, Tim Head, Patrick George (Chairman) and Bridget Riley. David Brown was Assistant Keeper of Modern Art at the Tate Gallery and the others were all artists themselves.
Brian Falconbridge, illustrated, was born in Norfolk in 1950 and attended Canterbury College of Art, Goldsmiths’ School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. His winning entry was titled Nada Te Turbe (Still Life). At the time of the exhibition he was teaching art at Eton, Goldsmiths’ and the Slade.
