The Tom Bass Prize for Figurative Sculpture coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Australia’s pre-eminent public sculptor, Tom Bass AM (1916-2010). The Tom Bass Prize was initiated with the idea of engaging the community, youth and the artistic world in a figurative art prize. All three concepts were fundamental to Tom Bass’ life’s work.
On Thursday 3 March, Mayor of Woollahra Toni Zeltzer has announced the inaugural winners of the Tom Bass Prize for Figurative Sculpture, who have collectively received awards worth $15,000: the $12,000 Tom Bass Prize, $1,000 Youth Prize, $1,000 Curator’s Choice and $1,000 Viewer’s Choice.
Prominent and diversified artists Jim Croke, Claire Healy and architect/artist Richard Goodwin were this year’s judges, selecting the following works as the overall winners from a pool of 250 entries and thirty-eight finalists.
Tom Bass Prize Winners – Joint Winners ($6,000 each): Maudie Brady (VIC), with her sculpture Geoffrey – a portrait of actor Geoffrey Rush and Louis Pratt (NSW) with his sculpture Future Events – a sculpture utilising 3D printing methods.
Youth Prize: Claire Brown (NSW) with her sculpture Untitled
Curator’s Choice Award and Viewer’s Choice Award: Kym Frame
Women Afoot, Handmade paper, banana fibre, methyl cellulose, perspex LED lights, 240 x 240cm
All winning works can be viewed at the 2016 Finalists Exhibition held at Juniper Hall, Paddington NSW until Sunday 20 March. Curated by Wendy Black, the exhibition is a showcase of representational, abstract, innovative and contemporary works inspired by the ‘figurative’ form.
Artist talks will be held on 13 and 20 March at 2pm.
The Tom Bass Prize for Figurative Sculpture will be held every two years and in time will become a signature fixture in the Sydney and Australian art prize scene.
