Announcement of the winner of the Art Award tidal.18
The winner of the major acquisitive prize of $15,000 for tidal.18: City of Devonport National Art Award 2018 was announced tonight (2 November 2018) at the exhibition opening at the Devonport Regional Gallery.
Artist Julia Davis, from Sydney, New South Wales, has been awarded one of Tasmania’s most prestigious prizes for her work Undercurrent, a single channel looped video with sound, where the artist employed drone technology to record tidal movements of the Tasmanian coast.
The judging was done by a panel of three judges: Adam Harding, Director, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Ashleigh Whatling, Curator Visual Art and Design, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery and Dr Jan Hogan, Coordinator of Printmaking and Drawing Studios, School of Creative Arts, Hobart, UTAS.
Mr Harding said:
“We were seeking a work that illustrated a mastery of material or medium and a work that gave us an emotional response, a tidal pull to another place. Ultimately offering us, and hopefully the community of Devonport and the regions visitors a transformative experience.”
“The judges’ panel and I would like to highly commend the West Coast Tasmanian photographer Lisa Garland, for her work Arthur River Kelp, 2018. This large-scale photograph transports us to the windswept and salt encrusted coast of the Great Southern Ocean. Documenting a process that responds to the tidal nature of this community, Garland’s work illustrates there is a season to collect and a season to dry bull kelp, a process and activity that has been undertaken for generations.
“Through this work Garland has captured the texture, grit and the physical labour involved in this process, it is as if we can smell the curing of the kelp. Through the scale of its production Garland’s photography transforms the kelp into bodily ghosts, haunting the landscape playing off this place’s isolation and beauty.
``It is our great pleasure to award the 2018 Tidal Prize to the New South Wales artist Julia Davis, for her work Undercurrent, 2017. This single channel looped video is deceptively simple as you enter the gallery. Are we looking at a landscape or a seascape? Are we looking up or down? Pushed by the waves, pulled by the undertow the work becomes immersive. Through her control of the medium Davis has produced a monochromatic work that crosses mediums referencing the washing and staining of traditional Chinese watercolours, sweeping black lines flow from thick to thin from black to white as this works cycles through day and night, rushing in and receding, the trace of this tidal movement builds upon itself producing a stained misty mountain range.
``Keep watching, the waves rush in and out, and then the horizon flips, we are folded into the space, we are within the waves, surrounded by the materiality of water. Produced by bringing together drone footage from the sky and a soundscape from the oceans floor, Davis uses these multiple perspectives, to disconnect us further from the real. Placing us at the centre of a timeless work of epic nature.“
The Award is sponsored by the Devonport City Council and the Devonport Regional Gallery Friends Committee. The People’s Choice Award will be announced at the close of the exhibition and the artist will receive $1000, courtesy of One Agency Collins Real Estate.
Floor talk: Saturday 3 November, 11 am with Adam Harding
Exhibition Dates: 3 November 2018 – 27 January 2019
The Award, now in its seventh installment after the inaugural competition in 2004, attracted entries from all states and territories except South Australia.
The Gallery received 153 entries, one of the highest numbers of entries in the Award’s history. Of these, 46 works were preselected to be included in the Finalists’ Exhibition by the judging panel.
The Finalists’ Exhibition will continue until Sunday 27 January 2019.
tidal.18
03.11.2018 - 27.01.2019
City of Devonport National Art Award Finalists’ Exhibition will open at the Devonport Regional Gallery, at the paranaple arts centre, on Friday 2 November and continues until Sunday 27 January 2019.
The $15,000 major acquisitive award is open to artists who reside in Australia. The award is sponsored by the Devonport City Council, and the Devonport Regional Gallery Friends Committee’s Peoples’ Choice Award will be announced at the close of the exhibition and the artist will receive $1000, courtesy of One Agency Collins Real Estate.
The announcement of the winning artist will be made at the opening on Friday 2 November 2018.
Convention and Arts Centre Director Geoff Dobson said Tidal aimed to encourage contemporary practice with strength of concept, innovation and execution of two-dimensional artwork.
He said the theme was open to a range of interpretations be it personal, environmental, political or of cultural nature.
Finalists for National Art Award tidal.18 announced
The finalists of the tidal.18: City of Devonport National Art Award have been announced.
The Award, now in its seventh instalment after the inaugural competition in 2004, attracted entries from all states and territories except South Australia. The Gallery received 153 entries, one of the highest numbers of entries in the Award’s history. Of these, 46 works were preselected to be included in the Finalists’ Exhibition by a judging panel consisting of Adam Harding, Director, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Ashleigh Whatling, Curator Visual Art and Design, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery and Dr Jan Hogan, Coordinator of Printmaking and Drawing Studios, School of Creative Arts, Hobart, UTAS.
Convention and Arts Centre Director Geoff Dobson said the preselection was very competitive. The judges were able to include more works in the Finalists’ Exhibition than in previous Awards because this year’s exhibition will occupy two of the three gallery spaces at the paranaple arts centre.
Works by the following artists have been preselected:
Tasmania: Diane Allison, Priscilla Beck, Nikala Bourke, Sean Coyle, Alex Davern, Selena de Carvalho, Keith Deverell (2 works), Lisa Garland, Neil Haddon, Leigh Hobba, Mandy Hunniford, Liam James, Kim Lehman, Sue Lovegrove, Marion Marrison, Jennifer Marshall, Penny Mason, Janelle Mendham, Anne Morrison, James Newitt, Robert O'Connor, Tom O'Hern, David Stephenson, Martin Walch, Megan Walch, Matt Warren, Emily-Rose Wills, Stephen Woodbury and Chee Yong.
New South Wales: Heather Burness, Julia Davis, Tina Havelock Stevens, Rodney Pople and Peter Stevens
Queensland: Kathrin Dierich & Trevor David O'Dwyer (joint work), Amanda Jane Gabori and Shannon Toth
Victoria: Mark Dober, Fiona Halse, Bridget Hillebrand, Martin King, Megan McPherson, Valerie Sparks,
Northern Territory: Sarah Genevieve Pirrie
Western Australia: Brian Robinson
ABOUT
The Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award is a biennial, acquisitive award. Artists residing in Australia are invited to submit 2-dimensional artworks that reflect on tidal – the natural, cultural, personal or political concerns related to the sea and coastal regions.
The Award provides a contemporary platform for artists to ponder the myriad perspectives and challenges inherent within the interconnections of land and sea while also encouraging excellence in concept, innovation and execution of 2-dimensional artwork.
The $15,000 Major Award is sponsored by the Devonport City Council and the Devonport Regional Gallery Friends Committee. $1,000 People’s Choice Award is sponsored by Collins Real Estate, Devonport. This is a non-acquisitive award selected by the viewers of Tidal. The Award is announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.
The Award aims to:
- Encourage experimentation within and across mediums relative to 2-dimensional works of art
- Present a stimulating and diverse exhibition of contemporary Australian art practice to the Devonport Community and visitors to the region
- Promote excellence in contemporary visual art that reflects on natural, cultural, personal or political concerns related to the sea, coastal regions and coastal communities
GENERAL CONDITIONS
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Entrants must submit work in accordance with the conditions set out in this application form. If these conditions are not met the application will not be considered
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Entrants must have been residents of Australia for 12 months prior to 6 July 2018
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Submitted work must have been completed in the 12 months prior to 3 November 2018
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Entries representing partnerships between individuals will be accepted on the understanding that each partner’s contribution is deemed equal
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Devonport City Council employees and members of their families are ineligible to enter the Award
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Entries now close COB Monday 9th of July 2018
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All works must be no larger than (h) 200 cm x (w) 200 cm x (d) 20 cm including frame. Although there is no specified medium, the art work must be 2-dimensional. Moving images provided on DVD/USB are eligible, and if selected, will be displayed on a monitor, screen or gallery wall not exceeding (h) 200 cm x (w) 200 cm.
ENTRY FEE $35.00 (Visa, Mastercard, Cheque or Direct Debit - please see payment details on entry form for more information)
2016 FINALISTS EXHIBITION
26 NOVEMBER 2016 – 29 JANUARY 2017
Opening & Award recipient announced: Friday 25 November 6:30 pm
This year’s judging panel consists of two nationally recognised art experts. Jane Devery, Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and Jane Stewart, Principal Curator of Art at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG).
2016 Winner
Julie Fragar was presented the $15,000 Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award 2016 by Mayor Steve Martin for her work Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide at the 2016 Finalists Exhibition on Friday 25 November. Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide is a richly layered painting that contains multiple images and references. The Brisbane-based artist, Julie Fragar, made the work after travelling to the Azores Islands in Portugal. Here, her ancestor Antonio, aged 12, ventured onto a whaling ship in 1850 – arriving in Australia 6 years later.
“Julie’s painting captures the wild adventure in a way which brings the present and the past together. The historic narrative reminds us of the continuing patterns of migration that reflect Australia today and is a compelling response to the ‘tidal’ theme.” said Tidal 2016 judges Jane Stewart and Jane Devery.
Tidal 2016 recipient Julie Fragar with her work, Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide, 2016, oil on board
2016 Finalists
Diane Allison / Louisa Bufardeci / Janet Bush / Alex Davern / Julie Fragar / Joey Gracia / Helga Groves / Katherine Hattam / Liam James / Anthony Johnson / Amber Koroluk-Stephenson / Michael Muruste / Penny Mason / Sara Manser / Tess Campbell / Troy Ruffels / David Stephenson & Martin Walch / Evelyn Vyhnal / Megan Walch / Matt Warren / Carole Wilson / Anne Zahalka
People's Choice Award
Visit the Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award Finalists Exhibition and vote for your favourite work. The winning artist will receive $1,000, courtesy of Collins Real Estate, and will be presented in the final week of the exhibition at the Tidal Festival in late January.
TIDAL FESTIVAL
23 - 29 January 2017
Devonport's youngest arts and culture festival is presented every two years by the Devonport Regional Gallery. Our third festival will take place in January 2017 at various indoor and outdoor venues across Devonport. Whether it be an art, sport, environmental or recreational activity we are sure you will find something that inspires you. We have the entire community covered - from the very young to the elderly; the artistic to the athletic; the sun lovers to the nature walkers so we hope you are enlightened and entertained with our tidal offerings.
TIDAL ARTISAN STREET MARKET
Our inaugural Tidal Artisan Street Market on Friday 9 December transformed Rooke Lane and the Gallery into a vibrant market place for over 30 artists, makers and designers to sell their wares!
For further information please contact the Devonport Regional Gallery: P. (03) 6424 8296 or E. [email protected]
