Face value

South African artist Paul Emsley is on the judging panel for the UK National Portrait Gallery BP Portrait Award 2011. He’s won this prestigious competition himself – in 2007, for his portrait (oil on canvas) of fellow artist Michael Simpson.

If you visit Cape Town’s iArt Gallery, you’ll still be able to see Emsley’s Kentridge portrait, one of his floral works and his wonderful portrait of Mandela (hurry, though – this one will soon be going to the Mandela Foundation, so take your opportunity while you can). If they’re not exhibited, ask to see them, and the curator will be happy to show them to you.

Also look out for the Paul Emsley retrospective – the first ever – at the SASOL Museum, Stellenbosch. This exhibition coincides with the 2012 Woordfees (2–11 March), of which he is official Festival Artist. It’s fitting that his retro- spective is in Stellenbosch – he taught drawing and painting at the University of Stellenbosch from 1983 to 1995. And we’re also happy to note that before Emsley turned to fine art, he did a lot of illustration work for FAIRLADY!