Meet the judges

Tabish Khan and Karen Turner join the judging panel for Touchlines of Fortitude: a Twickenham-based art exhibition celebrating ‘Female Resilience’ this September

Wednesday 16th July, 2025

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Prominent art critic Tabish Khan and figurative artist Karen Turner have joined the judging panel for Touchlines of Fortitude – an exhibition and programme of free-to-attend events celebrating ‘Female Resilience’ in Twickenham and the surrounding area this September.

Funded by Arts Council England and inspired by the upcoming 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, Touchlines of Fortitude will take a broad look at female strength in all its forms and the many ways in which women rise, persist, endure and transform. Its aim: to inspire girls and young women to push their boundaries, express their creativity and share their story.

Touchline of Fortitude’s centrepiece exhibition will take place at The Beach Gallery from Thursday 11th September, featuring works by female local artists Agnieszka Lokaj, Gina DeCagna and Tahira Mandarino. It will be followed by an exhibition of works sourced through open-call from Wednesday 24th September to Sunday 5th October.

Themed around ‘Female Resilience’, works submitted for the open-call will be judged by an expert panel, with prizes for the best painting, photo and sculpture being awarded at a special event on Friday 26th September. Artists can learn more and find out how to submit their work ahead of the deadline at midnight on Wednesday 20th August at fortitude-touchlines.com/open-call-for-artists. 

TOUCHLINES OF FORTITUDE: THE JUDGING PANEL

Tabish Khan

Tabish Khan is an art critic, writer, speaker, podcaster, and curator who passionately

believes in making art accessible to everyone. He visits and writes about hundreds of exhibitions a year, covering everything from the major blockbusters to the emerging art scene in London and beyond. He writes regularly for Londonist and FAD and has written for Artsy, Elephant, Stir World, and the New York Observer. 

He is co-host of the podcast The Good, The Bad and The Arty and has judged many prizes. Tabish is a trustee of the prestigious City & Guilds London Art School and Discerning Eye, which hosts an annual exhibition featuring hundreds of works. He is also an honorary trustee of ArtCan, a non-profit arts organisation supporting artists through profile-raising activities and exhibitions. He is also a critical friend of UP projects that brings contemporary art to public spaces.

Karen Turner

Karen Turner is a multi-award-winning figurative artist whose oil paintings challenge bias against larger bodies and explore how cultural expectations limit identity and ambition.

Born in London in 1978, she is best known for work that celebrates the female form with unapologetic presence, questioning how women are conditioned to shrink themselves – physically, socially and emotionally. Alongside her studio practice, she runs Go Large, helping other artists get seen and sell more without waiting around for galleries or luck.

Karen has received the President’s Prize from the Institute of East Anglian Artists, the Professional Artist Award from the Visual Artists Association and Art Fluent’s Evolution Grant. Her work has been recognised by the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Holly Bush Emerging Woman Painter Prize, Theo Paphitis Art Prize and Women United Art Prize. 

She held her first solo exhibition at London’s Red Eight Gallery in 2024, the same year she was a finalist for the Dubel Emerging Artist of the Year Prize and a judge for the Visual Art Open. Earlier this year she appeared in Series 4 of BBC One’s Extraordinary Portraits, painting Down Syndrome advocate Millie Anna Prelogar in a portrait that explored ambition, identity and the power of taking up space.

Mark Vellacott 

Mark Vellacott is a portrait sculptor and the founder of The Beach gallery in Teddington. Born in Richmond and raised near the shores of North Devon and later Australia, Mark brings his lifelong connection to the coast into his creative vision. His bronze sculptures have been exhibited in the UK, with works also held in collections in Australia and the US.

With The Beach, Mark is transforming a neglected building into a vibrant community arts hub – combining a gallery, café, and artist studios. His aim is to create an inclusive space where emerging local talent can flourish alongside established artists from across the UK and beyond, honouring both his artistic heritage and passion for community-led creativity.

Agnieszka Lokaj

Agnieszka Lokaj is a contemporary artist and curator whose socially engaged practice is shaped by her lived experience of ADHD. After a career in sport and digital technology, she found her creative voice through visual art.

Blending storytelling, participation, and accessibility, Agnieszka’s work bridges art, sport, and resilience. Since 2021, she has focused her energy on her passion for the visual arts. Her artwork has been exhibited at Guildford House Gallery, Brighton Art Fair, The Beach Gallery and was selected for the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Friends’ 2025 Exhibition. In 2024 Agnieszka was longlisted for The Women in Art Emerging Artist Prize 2024 and Visual Art Open 2024 Emerging Artist Award.

In 2025, she curated an open call group exhibition Spring Tide at Magan Gallery in Tooting. She has also been awarded Arts Council funding for Touchlines of Fortitude, an inspiring programme of cultural and creative events celebrating female resilience, set to take place across the Richmond borough in 2025.