This Friday, July 2nd, sees Emma Tooth’s debut museum showing open at Derby Museum and Art Gallery in an artistic showdown 250 years in the making!. Emma Tooth vs. Joseph Wright of Derby come together in “Extraordinary Portraits of Ordinary People”. AM thinks that Emma may have the edge over Joseph, with him being deceased and all, but we look forward to this bout featuring the two Derbyshire based painters.

Emma’s Consilium Plebis paintings will be exhibited alongside the 18th Century painter’s work from the Museum’s permanent collection across both gallery spaces – Emma’s paintings in the Main Hall featuring some of Wright’s work, and Emma’s work featuring in the Joseph Wright gallery, taking the place of the pieces temporarily shown as part of the main exhibition. Kind of a reciprocal guest showing! Both Emma Tooth and Joseph Wright made Derby their home, and the styles that both painters share draw parallels both in terms of subject matter, with the focus of the exhibition being portraits of the people of the Midlands city, separated by more than two centuries, and also the chiaroscuro style / technique that both painters employ.

Emma’s openings are usually ostentatious affairs, and this time around will feature Derby B-Boy crew Trinity Warriors, who appear in some of the paintings to be shown at the exhibition. Emma’s next solo show will be in London at Lazarides Gallery later this year, so definitely check out this hometown showing if you can. The opening is at 5-7pm and the exhibition runs until September 12th 2010.

Take a look at Emma’s studio when we recently visited her here, and peep some more flicks from Owen Tooth after the jump.

Discuss Emma Tooth here.