WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Moran Prizes 2012 -The Worlds Wealthiest Art Prize
The winners of the 2012 Moran Art Prizes were announced today (July 24, 2012) at Moran House in Sydney’s CBD, selected from a record field of 330,409 entries. The AUD$300,000 in monies and prizes were given to winners and place-getters at a morning event to open the Exhibition in its new home, Moran House, 13-15 Bridge Street, Sydney.
The judges of this year’s prestigious Doug Moran National Portrait Prize were Vincent Fantauzzo, winner of the 2011 Prize and Christopher Menz, Acting Director of The Ian Potter Museum of Art.
The $150,000 winner of the 2012 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize is:
Sydney-based artist, Leslie Rice , for his work titled, “Self-Portrait (with the Muses of Painting and Poetry)”:
The Runners-up prize of $10,000 was awarded to:
Natasha Bieniek of Elwood in Melbourne for her work titled, “Fading into Blue”:
Michael Peck from Eltham in Victoria was given an Honourable Mention by the judges for his portrait titled “Fighter Pilot #3, 2011”:
The Judge of the 2012 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize was esteemed international photographer, Graham Howe, CEO of Curatorial Assistance and Founding Director of The Australian Centre for Photography.
For the first time in the history of the Moran Prizes, the first prize of the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize has been equally awarded to four photographers, Kelsey Austin Walsh; Tobias Titz; Ashleigh Bradley and Jacqui Stockdale.
The prize winners will receive $25,000 each:
Launceston, Tasmanian-based, Kelsey Austin Walsh’s winning photograph is titled, “The World Inside My Head”:
North Carlton, Victorian-based, Tobias Titz’ winning photograph is titled, “Noel Charlie”:
Carlton, Tasmanian-based, Ashleigh Bradley’s winning photograph is titled, “Marti – Surfer”:
Northcote, Victorian-based, Jacqui Stockdale’s winning photograph is titled, “Rama Jaara, The Royal Shepherdess”:
Five Highly Commended prizes of $2,000 were awarded in the Open Section:
Victoria Brooks, “REST”
Emma Phillips,”Transition Nikki & Nick”;
Lilli Waters, “She Raw #33”;
Stuart Zeigler,”Sienna”;
and Julian Wolkenstein, “THE BELGOROD BORODA”
The Secondary Schools Sections were awarded as follows: Years 7 and 8 winner, Isabella Paice-Whear from Robina on the Gold Coast won $2,000 for “G-Nome”; Megan Eichinger, for Wyne Vale, SA, Years 9-10 winner has won $3,000 for “Camping” and Alex Winner, from Fletcher, NSW near Newcastle, Years 11-12 winner has won $5,000 for “Introspection”.
All finalists in the Secondary Schools section will each receive $200 and primary school finalists will receive photographic equipment.
Mr Mark Moran, Chief Executive Officer of the Moran Arts Foundation congratulated the prize winners and said that 2012 marks 24 years evolution for the Moran Prizes. “Since beginning in 1988, the Moran Prizes have grown in strength and depth shown by the increasing number of entries and the world wide access to the visual arts. It is opportune that for the first
time we are hosting our 2012 winners in the exhibition space near circular quay and opposite the ASX, creating even greater ease of access to the prize,” Mark Moran said.
“Our student workshops are not just for those that are ‘good at art’ or ‘school’ but can be inspiring in particular for those disengaged with the system with some participants for example having recently been in detention centres. Workshops take place both in urban and remote areas. In the past twelve months we have also had over 900 indigenous Australians participate
in the photographic workshops,” Mr Moran said. “In keeping with this egalitarian policy, a defining point of the Moran Prizes is to let the artists and photographers choose who they paint or photograph. In a world focused on celebrity, the Moran Prizes are about the greatness in every Australian,” Mark Moran said.
“The Moran Prizes has developed a website that reflects the rapid growth in technology providing a multi-media point of access to finalist works. This helps connect peoples talents and perspectives across multiple platforms bringing us into a global art community.”
The MORAN PRIZES is a free exhibition located at 13-15 Bridge Street, Sydney commencing July 25, 2012 for 12 weeks before touring nationally. It also includes 30 works from primary schools around Australia which were judged by Homayun Vesal.
A further AUD$50,000 is awarded to Highly Commended place-getters, to the winners and finalists in the Secondary School Sections and to provide prizes of photographic equipment for Primary School finalists.
