Three times the charm as Rachel Coad, based in WA’s Margaret River region, wins the prestigious $50,000 Lester Group Prize as part of the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, WA’s only portrait prize. Coad’s winning portrait depicts her mentor and friend, fellow artist Waldemar Kolbusz, titled Indian Summer it is her third attempt at the Black Swan prize.
Dr Stefano Carboni, Director of Art Gallery of Western Australia, congratulated Coad on her win, “She is not only prolific but consistently regarded by judges as a leading portrait artist in WA. Last year Rachel, with her portrait of WA businesswoman and philanthropist Janet Holmes a Court, was a finalist in the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture. This year, she is a worthy winner.”
Judging of the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture was Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Angus Trumble, board member of the National Portrait Gallery and former Director of AGWA, Alan Dodge and local artist Thea Costanino.
Comments made by the judges: “The winning artwork has a scale and presence and the subject’s personality has been captured superbly. The artist has moved beyond the photo realism and creates a sense of nostalgia through the use of sepia tones, cutting the subject out through a white background creates tension between something that is nostalgic, big scale and popping. It’s beautifully painted, very subtle belying the precision that it gives a few paces back. The limited information given by the artist provides a real sense of atmosphere. The soft technique is confident, consistent and feels effortless. It is a painter’s painting of a painter.”
Two artists were Highly Commended and received $500 art gift vouchers from HU Kendall & Co Art Supplies. They were Daniel Smith from Rockingham WA with his portrait of Ben Elton titled Thinking of you, Shakespeare and Kate Kurucz from Kensington Gardens SA for her portrait of her father titled Dad and Clams.
Judges comments on Daniel’s work: “Combined killer dead photo realist style with a beautiful sense of light, this artwork captures the subject well. The artwork reveals a flawless technique, particularly within the constraint of a black and white. It’s not just hard to do, but difficult to maintain the appeal on an intimate scale. It is incredibly deliberate, precise yet intimate and tender.”
In an exciting new initiative – the first of its kind in Australian portrait prizes – the finalists’ also voted for their favourite artwork in the $10,000 Tony Fini Foundation Artist Prize. The winner, as chosen by their peers, was Mark Tweedie from Mt Lawley WA with his portrait of a close family friend Ken Bindle titled It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Judges comments on Kate’s work: “we responded to the work’s intimate scale and its luminous quality of light. The fact that the artist decided to have the subject facing away the viewer tells us a lot about his character and personality – there is a sense of diffidence in the man which keeps drawing you back to it. The treatment is confident, warm and bold without being flamboyant.”
The public still have an opportunity to vote in the $7,500 Amana Living People’s Choice Prize which closes on Monday 24 October, 2016 at 5pm, with the winner being announced on the evening of 26 October, 2016.
The Youth Award winners will be announced at a special award night on Wednesday 19 October, 2016.
The Black Swan Prize for Portraiture is the third richest prize in Australia behind the Archibald and Moran competitions. Artists were invited to submit portraits of an Australian, or Australians that they respect or admire. Now in its 10th year, the exhibition has been moved from a private gallery to the AGWA allowing the exhibition to be on display for longer and attract a larger, wider audience.
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Until 31 October, 2016
Western Australia
