Ten-year-old Banksy fan from Bloxham is celebrating his artwork being selected for a lasting lockdown collection at the Ashmolean Museum

A Bloxham Primary school boy's picture has been chosen of one in an impressive lockdown exhibition that will be saved as an historic collection at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum.
By Roseanne Edwards
Published 27th Oct 2020, 11:02 BST
Updated 27th Oct 2020, 11:06 BST
Isaac Finlay with his lockdown picture in the exhibition at the Ashmolean MuseumIsaac Finlay with his lockdown picture in the exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum
Isaac Finlay with his lockdown picture in the exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum

Ten-year-old Isaac Finley's pencil on paper work describes the black hole he felt he was falling down during the months of being unable to join his friends in the classroom.

And his superb graphic was selected as one of the runners-up in the under-11s section of the Artists in Residence competition - a great achievement as there were 1,200 entries in the three categories.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

People sent in a huge range of artworks including paintings, drawings and photographs, collage, sculpture, video, mosaics and textiles. Strong themes emerged - gratitude to key workers and the NHS, the importance of friends and family, appreciation of the natural world and the deep impact of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Isaac Finlay's amazing pencil on paper artwork that was chosen as one of the runners up in the Artists in Residence competitionIsaac Finlay's amazing pencil on paper artwork that was chosen as one of the runners up in the Artists in Residence competition
Isaac Finlay's amazing pencil on paper artwork that was chosen as one of the runners up in the Artists in Residence competition

Isaac's poem accompanying his picture said: "I hate this lockdown / I don’t want to do it / I miss my friends / I miss my school / It is torture / I hate it …”

"This is my concrete poem about Lockdown and how it feels like being swallowed up by a black hole," he wrote.

Isaac was one of the guest artists at last week's private view. His mother Camilla said: "Lockdown was a bit of a dark moment and he is much more cheery now he is back at school,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"He did this piece originally for the Bloxham School English and Art Competition, an open competition for children in years four and five. His piece was a runner up and put forward along with a few others to the Ashmolean so we are wry grateful to Bloxham School for the challenge.

Isaac Finlay reads newspaper coverage of the competition and sees his work in printIsaac Finlay reads newspaper coverage of the competition and sees his work in print
Isaac Finlay reads newspaper coverage of the competition and sees his work in print

"Isaac was 10 when he did the piece and in Year five at Bloxham Primary School. He is now in Year six."

Isaac said: "I feel really proud that I managed to do something like this. I want to do more art and get better at drawing. I am a big fan of Banksy."

The Artists in Residence lockdown competition pictures are to be preserved for posterity. To see more of the winning entries see here.

Related topics:BanksyBloxhamOxfordLockdown