University of East London artist’s Olympic exhibition will help time fly for Heathrow passengers
Thursday 21 June 2012
East London Artist and University of East London (UEL) Senior Lecturer, Teresa Witz has been selected as one of ten artists to tell the story of London 2012 through a series of commissioned works capturing the dedication and commitment of Olympics and Paralympics athletes.
Teresa’s exhibition of Olympic and Paralympic portraits will include ten full length, life-size portraits of great British athletes including Oscar Pistorius, Mark Hunter, David Weir, Vanessa Raw, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Jeanette Kwakye. Teresa’s Exhibition will be showcased at The Expo Fine Arts Gallery, Terminal 5 Expo Gallery, Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, 11 July and Jubilee Park, Canary Wharf on Monday, 23 July.
Similar to the training and preparation for athletes, Teresa Witz has spent the last four years travelling around the UK meeting training athletes. This preparation has enabled Teresa’s Olympic dream of creating an exhibition of legacy portraits for the London 2012 Games. With the support of the BT Art of Sport project and the Terminal 5 Expo Art Gallery, Teresa has had the opportunity to meet a variety of dedicated, inspiring athletes representing a wealth of sport and sporting achievements.
Artist Teresa Witz says:
"My paintings focus on the iconic in the contemporary mediatised world and I see Paralympic and Olympic athletes as "iconic unknowns". My portraits seek to express the power and emotions invested in the pursuit of the Olympic dream. Also, airports are not often associated with peace, culture and fine art. This is a great chance for passengers travelling through Heathrow Airport to enjoy a reprieve from long queues and the busy activity there by visiting the Expo Gallery to relax, be inspired and leave feeling invigorated."
Teresa Witz was born in Cyprus and brought up in Plymouth. She received her BA Hons at the Wolverhampton College of Art, and throughout the years, continued her formal education with a certificate in Art Education and Art Therapy from the Birmingham School of Art Education, studied Fine Art Practice at Sir John Cass School of Art and an M.A. in Fine Art in 2001(UEL). She was awarded a Doctorate in Fine Art in 2008 from UEL. Previous works include paintings of celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham, Kylie Minogue, Cher and Paralympic equestrian gold medallist, Lee Pearson MBE OBE.
The project will provide a legacy through the sale of the artworks in support of sporting charities. For more information, visit www. teresawitz.co.uk
Notes to Editors
The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.
