Many of our esteemed London art societies, open competitions and other arts organisations include prizes and awards aimed specifically at encouraging the development and careers of younger artists. But recent successes and events suggest that it’s not always younger up and coming artists to whom we should be looking for emerging talent and inspiration. For example Britain’s representative at the 2017 Venice Biennale was 73-year-old sculptor Phyllida Barlow, who has been known to credit her late-blooming career to boredom with the Young British Artists’ (YBAs) mentality, which has finally worn thin. Winner of last year’s Turner Prize – after the rules were changed and it dropped its upper age limit of 50 to accommodate older artists – was 63-year old Lubaina Himid, the oldest winner in the prize’s 33-year history. Both artists have been overlooked and undervalued for most of their careers.
Rose Wylie, at the age of 83, has also been enjoying a high profile recently with her extensively reviewed exhibition now on view at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, until February 11, featuring bright, bold, wild paintings full of the energy you might normally associate with a younger artist. Arguably the Young British Artists are being outshone by Older British Artists.