The $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture focuses on the urban environment and the importance of sculpture, in all its forms, to inform public spaces and enrich public life. It is unique in that it enables entrants to submit either a completed artwork, or a proposal for an artwork.
Louise Paramor, Ursa Major, 2014. Finalist of Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2014
Announced on Wednesday 14 June, this year’s finalists are Sarah crowEST, Laresa Kosloff, Bridie Lunney, Timothy Moore/Sibling, Daniel von Sturmer and Susan Jacobs. Along with the generous first prize, all six finalists will be awarded an artist fee of $4,000.
In an official statement, the 2017 judges expressed their delight in the significant response to this year’s award;
“There were a wide range of entries, making the judging an immensely challenging but rewarding process. The overall brief was very well understood, with entries testing and engaging with the urban environment. The selection of artists explore the continuing expansion of the term ‘urban sculpture’ into a variety of forms, disciplines and communities and are indicative of what is happening in contemporary sculptural practice at this time in the state of Victoria. From poetic and unexpected material investigations, to works that employ light, sound, architecture and performance to both articulate and alter the way we encounter public space, the range of practices chosen are compelling responses to our increasingly complex world.”
Geoff Robinson, 15 location /15 minutes / 15 days, 2014. Recipient of Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2014
The 2017 judges include six esteemed arts sector professionals: Max Delany, Artistic Director & CEO, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA); Victoria Lynn, Director, TarraWarra Museum of Art; Professor Callum Morton, artist and Head of Fine Art, Monash University Art Design & Architecture (MADA); Professor Marie Sierra, artist and Deputy Dean & Head of School UNSW Australia, Art & Design; Simone Slee, artist and Head of Sculpture & Spatial Practice, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne; and Pip Wallis, Curator, Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).
Scott Mitchell, the Listener, 2014. Finalist of Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2014
Five finalists have also been announced in the new $10,000 Public Artwork Design Concept Award 2017 – Crafting a City of Literature. Supported by the Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Office, this award seeks a design concept for a public artwork to celebrate Melbourne’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature. This year’s finalists are Emma Anna, Catherine Clover, Eli Giannini, Matthew Harding and Louise Lavarack
A free public exhibition of finalists work will be held at Federation Square from 13 to 27 November. Announcement of recipients will take place on Wednesday 15 November. Voting for the Civic Choice Award 2017 closes at the end of the exhibition with the winner announced on Friday 1 December.
The annual Melbourne Prize operates in a three-year cycle, including the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture, the Melbourne Prize for Literature and the Melbourne Prize for Music. The Melbourne Prize for Literature will be offered in 2018. Since its inception in 2004, it has made available more than $1 million in prizes and award, artist residencies, equipment grants and an annual public exhibition at Federation Square to Victorian writers, sculptors and musicians.
