The Future Generation of Figurative Artists
This past winter, the Portrait Society of America hosted our third annual The Future Generation Competition, and in February, we announced this year’s talented group of winners. This competition was created to acknowledge the work of emerging young artists, who are 18 to 25 years old. Our late chair Edward Jonas believed that early recognition in art competitions can have a great impact on a young artist’s career, as it did for John Singer Sargent, who at the age of 23, won Honorable Mention at the Paris Salon for a portrait he painted of his teacher, Carolus-duran, thus launching his portrait career. Different from our annual The International and Members Only Competitions, which are open to all ages, this contest was created to recognize and celebrate the work of young, talented individuals who have shown a high level of skill in the realm of figurative art and portraiture. This year, the judges were Dawn Whitelaw, Adam Clague and Stephanie Thomson. They viewed over 300 entries submitted from young artists around the world, including China, Austria, Romania, Canada, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Norway, Nigeria, Germany and the United Kingdom. The artists selected for the top four placements come from different backgrounds and countries, but they all share an early passion for the pursuit of portraiture and figurative art.
Twenty-five-year-old German-czech sculptor Jana Büttner won First Place for her work Burden, a thoughtful portrayal of two male figures—one holding another on his back—rendered in clay. Büttner currently lives and works in Austria, and despite her young age, has achieved many successes in her career thus far. Beginning her artistic journey at the age of 10, Büttner attended the Musisches Gymnasium Salzburg, a school dedicated to many creative pursuits, including art, music, literature and theatre. After her initial exposure to art at the age of 14, she began studying sculpture at HRL Hallein, a prestigious technical school in Austria. While studying there, she learned how to carve wood, stone, weld metals and work in clay. “The first time I worked figuratively in clay I knew that I had found my language in art,” says Büttner, “but, it wasn’t until the age of 18 that I was certain I wanted to pursue art as a career.”
After earning her degree in Austria, Büttner attended the renowned Florence Academy of Art in Italy. There she honed