Two Russian artists won the first prize of Denmark's Brewer J.C. Jacobsen's Portrait Award for portraying homeless people, the award organizers announced Thursday.

Slava PTRK and Vladimir Abikh received 85,000 Danish kroner for 'Street Dirt', which portrays homeless people with dirt from the streets of Yekaterinburg, the fourth largest city in Russia.

According to the international jury of the award, 'Street Dirt' is more than a portrait series; "it is an art project with a clear mission, unique execution, and relevance."

Furthermore, the jury acknowledged that 'Street Dirt' could appear in any country, in any corner of the modern world. "It could be understood anywhere on the globe."

Artists from China also attracted attentions as Yu Shaofei was awarded the second prize for 'Student Dressed up as an Ancient Warrior Girl', oil on canvas, while Hang Chunhui won the International Prize for ink and color on paper.

In all, 12 prizes amounted to 275,000 kroner were awarded at the prize-giving at the Museum of National History, which is housed in the Frederiksborg castle in Hilleroed, north of Copenhagen.

Following the prize-giving, the exhibition Portrait Now! 2015 officially kicked off, presenting 129 works of art selected among 1,346 works submitted by artists from the Nordic countries, China, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Established in 2007, Brewer J.C. Jacobsen Portrait Award is organized biennially by the Museum of National History and supported by the Carlsberg Bequest. (1 U.S. dollar = 6.70 Danish kroner) Enditem

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