A Brighton artist has won a competition to have his work painstakingly reproduced over two storeys in the centre of Brighton.
Grant DeJonge’s image Lost will be painted onto the side of myhotel in Jubilee Street ready to be unveiled this Friday after winning the Street Art competition.
The contest, run by homeless charity StreetSmart and Brighton gallery artrepublic, was launched to raise awareness of homelessness.
The judges, street artists Inkie, Eine, Static and Pure Evil, chose DeJonge’s image as they felt it stands as a reminder of the UK homeless situation.
DeJonge, pictured below with wife Jacquie and street artist Inkie, is a self-taught artist from London, but for the past 14 years has lived and worked around Brighton.
He said: “I had just finished a building job so had no more work on, when I heard about the artrepublic Street Art competition.
“Whilst creating the image using oils on canvas, it made me realise that I want to concentrate on my art again.
“Never for a minute did I think about winning, especially as my work is not strictly ‘street’.
“I wanted to include subtle details to my piece such as having no shadow under the bench and the use of a vivid ‘fairy tale’ red for her coat.”
Glen Pougnet, Director of StreetSmart said comments: “I think that the shortlist was truly magnificent but the winning piece is really powerful work.
“Congratulations to the artist and very many thanks to artrepublic. Every single penny donated will be used to fund vital projects to help the homeless in both London and Brighton.”
The painting will be in place in Jubilee Street until the end of March. It will also be reproduced on a four-storey building in Covent Garden.
The image will be sold as a limited edition print through the artrepublic galleries in Brighton and London and online at www.artrepublic.com
Lawrence Alkin, CEO artrepublic, has agreed to donate £1 from every single transaction taken during the months of January, February and March 2010 to StreetSmart. To date artrepublic have donated £1,500 to the charity.
The image will be available to view in Brighton and London from February until end of March 2010.
