In 2016, the South Australian initiative, the Fleurieu Art Prize, will relocate from the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, to the prestigious Anne & Gordon Samstag Museum of Art in Adelaide, where it will be presented to city audiences for the first time since its inception eighteen years ago.
The Prize has garnered an international reputation attracting entries from around the world, and high-profile judges such as Nigel Hurst, the Director of London’s Saatchi Gallery. In conjunction with the move the Prize has been increased to $65,000, is non-acquisitive and open to Australian and international artists working across all media.
In considering the benefits of the revitalised Prize, Erica Green, Director Samstag Museum of Art says, “Shifting the Fleurieu Art Prize exhibition to the Samstag Museum presents an opportunity to elevate the event and the standing of the prize itself, and to better celebrate museum-quality works of contemporary art. Landscape as a subject for art continues to capture the imagination not only of the wider community, but also of leading artists wanting to express a connection with place and culture.”
Shortlisted artists include: Tony Albert, Brook Andrew, Raymond Arnold, Narelle Autio, Tok Basuki, Lionel Bawden, Clare Belfrage, Natasha Bieniek, Julie Blyfield, Andrew Browne, Thomas Buchanan, Stephen Bush, Jacobus Capone, Gary Carsley, James Darling + Lesley Forwood, Ed Douglas, Hayden Fowler, Neil Frazer, Holly Grace, Neil Haddon, Robert Hannaford, Nicholas Harding, Tim Johnson, Ash Keating, John Kelly, Ildiko Kovacs, Janet Laurence, Sam Leach, Richard Lewer, Tony Lloyd, William Mackinnon, Noel McKenna, Alexander Mckenzie, Danie Mellor, Jeffery Mincham, Geoff Newton, Jamie North, Ian North, Jill Orr, Baden Pailthorpe, Anna Platten, Rodney Pople, Joan Ross, Alex Seton, Sam Shmith, Tim Silver, Valerie Sparks, Vipoo Srivilasa, David Stephenson + Martin Walch, Kylie Stillman, Imants Tillers, Aida Tomescu, James Tylor, Hossein Valamanesh, Megan Walch, Sera Waters, Amy Joy Watson, Geoff Wilson and Philip Wolfhagen.
The judging panel includes: Nigel Hurst, Director, Saatchi Gallery London; Suhanya Raffel, Deputy Director and Director of Collections, Art Gallery of New South Wales; and Erica Green, Director, Samstag Museum of Art.
The winner will be announced on Thursday 2 June 2016. Former winners include Fiona Lowry (2013), Ken Whisson (2006), Elisabeth Cummings (2000) and Robert Hannford (1998).
The Fleurieu Art Prize for Landscape is accompanied by a Festival Community Program celebrating the art, food and wine of the Fleurieu Peninsula region. The highlight of this program is the $10,000 Fleurieu Food + Wine Art Prize, a non-acquisitive prize for paintings with a food and wine theme. The Food + Wine Art Prize will be anchored in McLaren Vale and will continue the Fleurieu Art Prize’s close association with the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Anne & Gordon Samstag Museum of Art
3 June to 29 July, 2016
South Australia
Geoff Wilson, Noarlunga landscape (detail), 1972, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 61.0 x 76.2cm
Collection of Catherine and Emily Trott, SA. Design by Xtra Shiny, Adelaide
