More than 450 entries from across the country were received for the inaugural $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize, Australia’s richest prize for young contemporary artists. The 21 finalists chosen represented a collective of diverse cultures and art making practices, from the moving image to intricate works on paper.
Selected by a panel of international and national contemporary art experts, the winner of the of the 2017 Ramsay Art Prize was announced at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) on Friday 26 May by James & Diana Ramsay Foundation Chairman, Nicholas Ross.
Sydney-based artist Sarah Contos was victorious with her work Sarah Contos Presents: The Long Kiss Goodbye. The ‘soft collage’ will be acquired into the collection of the AGSA.
AGSA Director, Nick Mitzevich said “This is Sarah Contos’ most ambitious work to date. This tour de force brings together aspects of her career from the last four years. Previous works of art and exhibition histories are all captured in this textile time-capsule, making it a self-initiated retrospective of her life in art.”
South Australia’s leading cultural philanthropists, James and Diana Ramsay, shared a lifelong enthusiasm for the arts and helped build numerous careers and collections. The Ramsay Art Prize aims to share this passion and inspire generation after generation of artists and art lovers.