A record 1226 entries have been received for the $60,000 2013 Fleurieu Art Prize – the world’s richest landscape painting prize.
General Manager Karen Paris says artists from around the country as well as the US, UK, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, New Zealand and France have submitted an impressive and diverse range of works.
“We’ve been watching the entries steadily roll in since February and the final rush up until the close at midnight on Friday really was very exciting,” Miss Paris says.
“Well known and respected names such as David Bromley, inaugural winner Robert Hannaford, Ann Thomson, Richard Bell and 2011 People’s Choice Award winner Jun Chen are in the mix, along with a great bunch of up and coming artists who are no doubt hopeful that this will be their big break.”
Paris, with judges Nigel Hurst of London’s Saatchi Gallery, artist Michael Zavros and the Samstag Museum’s Erica Green now have the task of selecting a shortlist of approximately 100 works which will form the finalist exhibitions.
The shortlist will be revealed on August 29, with the major prize winner announced at the Prize festival’s launch on October 26.
“We’re deliberately taking a very broad view of what constitutes ‘landscape’ and what can be considered ‘painting’ this year and I’m very pleased to see that reflected in the dynamic range of entries,” Miss Paris says.
Matt Burgess
“The judges certainly have a challenge ahead selecting the finalists from a strong contingent of entries, but audiences who visit the festival later in the year will see exceptional quality finalist exhibitions of vibrant and very interesting artwork.”
The main prize exhibitions will be held from October 26 to November 25 in galleries and wineries in the McLaren Vale and wider Fleurieu region.
These will be supported by an invitational sculpture exhibition, a youth sculpture commission and an invitational landscapes exhibition which will also be on display at Adelaide Airport.
A $5,000 local Water and Environment Prize and a People’s Choice Prize will also be awarded.
Tickets to the winner announcement cocktail party at d’Arenberg winery will go on sale on August 29.
Artists are encouraged to enter the Fleurieu Art Prize at www.artprize.com.au.
Artists wishing to be considered for both the Fleurieu Water and Environment Prize and the main prize should check the relevant box on the application form.
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