Mid West Art Prize 2012:
The second annual Mid West Art Prize Exhibition opened at the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery on Saturday 3 March 2012. The evening, which included the announcement of award winning works, was attended by some 275 people including exhibiting artists from around the State.
The City of Greater Geraldton is committed to this event and together with the support of our greatly appreciated sponsors, an amount of $45 000 in non acquisitive awards was once again made available.
Open to artists from throughout Western Australia, the Gallery received some 330 works vying for inclusion. Of these, 76 made it to the final display. All selected works are required to be new creations thereby ensuring an exhibition of quality, freshness and variety.
The Mid West Art Prize is not only an excellent opportunity and challenge for artists both local and state-wide; it also forms an excellent educational tool reaching out to include a wide cross section of the community. It continues to provide a sound method for the acquisition of art works for the City Collection and contributes significantly to the cultural development of the Mid West.
Whilst only in its second year, the Mid West Art Prize is already recognised by the City of Greater Geraldton and Art Gallery of Western Australia as a significant cultural event, not only for the Mid West but all of Western Australia.
Award Winners
City of Greater Geraldton Overall Award for Excellence: My Father’s Country, Biddy Timbinah
Minerals and Metals Group Highly Commended Award: Take it All, Olga Cironis
Midwest Aboriginal Award: Beach to Bush Collection, Margaret Danischewsky
Geraldton Regional Art Gallery Mid West Award: The Remnant Diaries Re. Collections, Marianne Penberthy
Eastman Poletti Sherwood Architects Mid West Award: Red Tutu for Lucy, Gabrielle Woodhams
96.5WAFM Youth Award: Monitor’s Garden, Alicia Hart
Grant Woodham’s People Choice Award: The Mobile Man Stage 2, Warayute Bannatee
Setting up of the Mid West Art Prize 2012
Find out first hand how the 2012 Mid West Art Prize was put on display in the gallery in the 4 minute ABC produced short film which includes fascinating time lapse imagery along with an interview with Gallery Director, James Davies.
Setting up an Art Gallery (Vimeo Video) from ABC Open Mid West WA.
Sponsors
Grant Woodhams MLA
Judges
Dr Ric Spencer
Marco Macron
Dr Ric Spencer
Dr Ric Spencer is an artist and writer and currently Curator at Fremantle Arts Centre. He was the art critic at The West Australian newspaper from 2004 until 2010. Since 2000 he has been an academic at Curtin University of Technology where he is currently Adjunct Professor. Spencer has been involved in numerous art activities as a writer, artist and project manager. He has shown his own work in Australia, Asia and the UK including at PICA, Linden Centre for Contemporary Art, 1aspace in Hong Kong and Intermedia Space at Glasgow Centre for Contemporary Art. His work has been published in Australian, UK and American arts journals including: Art Papers, City Journal and a-n Magazine. He writes for various art publications and has written catalogue essays for many artists including Edward Burtynsky, Narelle Autio, Deborah Pauuwe, Darren Siwes and Maschi Fontana. Spencer holds a first class Honours degree from Curtin University and Glasgow School of Art, he holds a Doctorate of Creative Arts from Curtin University and is co-director of Spencer Johnston Art Books.
Marco Macron
Marco Marcon was born in Italy and moved to Australia in late 1984. In Italy, Marco Marcon co-founded and directed Murales, one of Rome’s most innovative live music venues of the late 70s, and worked as a writer-producer of cultural programmes for the Italian Broadcasting Corporation. In Australia Marco worked as editor of the art journal Praxis M and lecturer in art theory and cultural studies at several universities. In 1998 he co-founded IASKA, of which he is the CEO/Artistic Director. Marco Marcon has collaborated with artists on several public art projects and published over 110 articles, essays and reviews in various journals, magazines, catalogues and books.
Selection Panel
James Davies – City of Greater Geraldton Gallery Director
Paul Uhlmann studied art in the Netherlands, Germany and Australia and gained Qualifications in all three countries. Paul is currently a lecturer at Edith Cowan University and has pieces in many major collections including the City of Greater Geraldton Collection.