Congratulations to Yorta Yorta artist Daniel Hills, winner of the $10,000 Koorie Art Show, Creative Victoria Award for Excellence in Any Media for his work Goanna Outback.
In his artist statement, Hills says:
Bungarra, known as the sand goanna, plays a vital role in our heritage, being one of our Creators in the Dreamtime story along with representing tribal and individual totems. Bungarra, also tastes pretty good being a traditional delicacy.
My late father was one of those artists who loved representing the goanna in all types of mediums and techniques, painting being his favourite. Incorporating Rattan cane, natural flax leaf strips and jute string I used the intertwining weaving technique to create a goanna shaped sculpture that I tribute to my dad and his love for old Bungarra the sand goanna.
Daniel Hills (Yorta Yorta), Goanna Outback, 2023, rattan cane, natural flax leaf, jute string. Winner, Creative Victoria Award for Excellence in any Media – $10,000. Photograph: Nicole Smith-Walker. Courtesy the artist and Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne
Additional categories and their winners:
City of Melbourne Aboriginal Melbourne Award, $5,000
Annie Brigdale (Yorta Yorta), Woven, 2023
Lendlease Reconciliation Award, $5,000
Josh Deane (Palawa), Budgies with artist hands, 2023
Viva Energy Australia 3D Award, $5,000
Tammy Gilson (Wadawurrung), Barbarrung beenyak (Aunty basket), 2023
Josh Muir Digital Art Award, $3,000
Alice Pepper (Gunnai, Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, Arrernte), Songlines of the Bogong Moth, 2023
RMIT University Emerging Artist Award, $5,000
Tarsha Davis (Kuku Yalanji, Palawa), Wawu = Wawu, 2023
KHT’s Encouragement Awards (1 of 2), $500
Tanya Flower (Wakaman), Memories Of A Journey Home, 2023
KHT Encouragement Awards (2 of 2), $500
Georgia Cromarty (Arrernte), Desert Series #4, 2023
The judging panel for the 11th Koorie Art Show 2023 and the Koorie Art Show Young Mob comprised Dr Vicki Couzens (Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong), Emrhan Sultan (Western Arrarnta, Luritja and Kokatha), and Lisa Waup (Gunditjmara and Torres Strait Islander), who stated:
On behalf of this year’s Koorie Art Show judges, we highly commend all the artists who have submitted and exhibited their works. Your thought-filled artworks – woven, painted, printed, carved, digital, found and made objects – generously spoke of connection to culture, Country, kin and embodied story . . . As a panel, we based our decisions on several outcomes, one being cultural integrity that connected their own brand and learning cultural symbols/iconographies and artistic expressions. A big congratulations to all the award recipients.
The Koorie Art Show is an annual art award and exhibition dedicated to showcasing the work of Koorie and Victorian-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Artists generously share their stories and culture, Country and connection; this exhibition brings together painting, works on paper, photography, sculpture, multi-media, fibre art and more.
All 130 works entered are exhibited in a salon hang at Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne, from 9 December 2023 to 25 February 2024 and are available for sale via the Koorie Heritage Trust website.
The Koorie Heritage Trust People’s Choice Award $1,000 will be announced at the exhibition’s close.
