Twenty-two of Australia’s most respected contemporary artists, including one artist duo, have been selected by guest curator Tim Johnson to present work in the 2015 Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize.
The selection includes some of the nation’s brightest contemporary art stars. Two former Australian representatives at the Venice Biennale Shaun Gladwell (2009) and Hany Armanious (2011) are amongst the artists; along with 2014 Archibald Prize winner Fiona Lowry. Gladwell, who toured to Afghanistan in 2009 as Australia’s official war artist, will present a new work for the Prize with Untitled-Murramarang Planck, 2014.
The 2015 Prize features a strong contingent of respected indigenous artists including Bindi Cole (recently exhibited in the 19th Biennale of Sydney), Jenny Watson and Fiona Foley, who won the 15th annual Redlands Art Prize Prize in 2010 for her photographic work titled Bearing Witness I 2009.
2015 guest curator Tim Johnson commented on his selection process for the established artists: “For the 2015 Redlands Konica Minolta art prize I have invited a diverse range of artists, in order to reflect the wide spectrum of art being made here in Australia.”
“There is so much exciting and original work around today that finding artists has not been difficult. Interestingly, there are some Australian artists receiving international recognition who still have a fairly low profile here that I’ve sought to include. A lot of the most interesting new work being made is aimed directly at its audience and involves artists confronting, questioning and surprising the viewer,” added Mr Johnson.
The full list of selected established artists are: Hany Armanious, Marion Borgelt, Sophie Cape, Bindi Cole, Lucas Davidson, Dennis Del Favero, Mikala Dwyer, Maria Fernanda Cardosa, Fiona Foley, Shaun Gladwell, Helga Groves, Claire Healy & Sean Cordiero, Narelle Jubelin, Geoff Kleem, Fiona Lowry, Archie Moore, Rod Moss, Raquel Ormella, Hiromi Tango, Jenny Watson and Joshua Yeldham.
The two winning artworks in the established and emerging categories will become part of Redlands School’s permanent art collection, providing a valuable resource for visual arts students and teachers.
Winners will be awarded at the opening event of the ‘2015 Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize’ exhibition at the National Art School Gallery on 24 March, 2015.
National Art School Gallery
26 March to 23 May, 2015
Sydney