Shortlist

Graham Crowley Lisa Milroy Callum Innes Nicky Hoberman Paul Morrison Pamela Golden

Nearly 500 artists entered between one and three works into the competition.

Five judges - Norbert Lynton, Keith Patrick, Frank Cohen, Andrea Rose and chairman Charles Saumarez-Smith - considered more than 1,300 paintings over two days before drawing up the shortlist.

The free exhibition of entries will be at the Jerwood Space in Southwark until 7 July before touring to Birmingham.

Former sports minister Tony Banks MP will announce the winner on 22 May at the Jerwood Space.

Two of the shortlisted entrants are landscape painters. Graham Crowley has concentrated on Rineen, on the west coast of Ireland, while Paul Morrison has gained recognition for his distinctive black-and-white landscapes.

Eerie pictures

The work of Scottish minimalist Callum Innes has been compared with that of Mark Rothko and artist Lisa Milroy has focused the repetitive painting of objects at subtly different angles, such as handles, books or shoes

Nicky Hoberman's work is said to generate a strong sense of unease in the viewer through her eerie pictures of children and adolescents.

Perhaps the most conventional painter in the exhibition is Chicago-born Pamela Golden, who has exhibited extensively in Europe and North America with her explorations of people's relationship with the sea.

Although in receipt the Jerwood prize does not generate as much controversy as the headline-grabbing Turner prize, the Jerwood is held in high regard.

But critics have complained of the impossibility of judging the work of an established artist against an exciting newcomer in the same competition.