Northampton pupil, 12, selected for prestigious Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
“Filippo has a natural talent for creativity, with exceptional skills in music”
A 12-year-old Northampton pupil has had one of her drawings selected for display at the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in London.
Filippo Pinto Barbosa, a pupil at Northampton School, was chosen from more than 25,000 submissions entered into this year’s exhibition, which is regarded as one of the world’s most celebrated open art showcases.
Her artwork, titled The Map of GO Liron (aka the Kazam Land), features a fantasy village protected by a “rainbow force” and divided by a river, with a forbidden forest inhabited by an elf tribe.
According to Filippo’s mum, Maria Pinto, the piece was intentionally left unfinished so viewers could “use their imagination to finish it”.
She said the family believes Filippo may be the only child from Northamptonshire selected for the exhibition this year, making the achievement even more remarkable.
The young artist’s work includes imaginative details such as the Castle of Catnour, a hidden village dome and mysterious inaccessible areas within the fictional world.
Maria said: “Filippo has a natural talent for creativity, with exceptional skills in music. Her selection by the Royal Academy is a tremendous honour and a proud moment for his family, his school, and the wider Northamptonshire community.”
A photograph released alongside the announcement shows Filippo with her artwork alongside Northampton School headteacher Mr Edwards.
The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition has been held annually since 1769 and showcases works from professional and emerging artists across the country.
Filippo’s selection places his work alongside pieces by established artists in one of the UK’s best-known art exhibitions.