The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre
An innovative multi-arts hub in the heart of Blacktown City.
2022/23 Blacktown City Art Prize Winners Announced
Blacktown Arts are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2022/23 Blacktown City Art Prize.
The overall prize winner is Peter Rush for his artwork Sightlines, The Blacktown Native Institution site. Standing here, it’s placeless, I felt erasure, ignorance (my own), indifference. The winning piece is a drawing of Blacktown Native Institution on Richmond Road, representing a connection between past, present and future. Judges recognised that the artwork shows a connection to Darug history and culture and speaks to the history of the place.
The winning artwork was chosen from 71 finalists and comes with a prize of $15,000. It will also be acquired for the Blacktown City Art Collection.
Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said: “I wish to congratulate Peter Rush on winning this prestigious art prize, which attracts entries from artists from all over Australia. The artworks that made it through to the final round of judging were of an incredibly high standard and I’m proud to say many of these pieces were from western Sydney artists. For 27 years, this art prize has provided an important platform for artists to share, develop and enrich their creative practice. I congratulate all winners and finalists.”
Blacktown City Art Prize Winners:
Main Prize Winner:
Peter Rush, Sightlines, The Blacktown Native Institution site. Standing here, it’s placeless, I felt erasure, ignorance (my own), indifference
Aboriginal Artist Prize Winner: Leanne Jones, Dinawan Ngarraarry – Emu Hunt
Local Artist Prize Winner: Mina Lee, Rousehill Farm
Blacktown City Art Prize Highly Commended:
Main Prize Highly Commended: Connor Ovenden-Shaw, TRANSaction.
First Nations Prize Highly Commended:
Virginia Keft, The Colony on Show and Jayne Christian, Guwing Burragula Ngurrawa (Sunset on Country).
Local Artist Prize Highly Commended: Justin (Jian hua) Qian, Totem and Mary Nguyen, Small Sketches.
The 2022/23 Blacktown City Art Prize exhibition opened the Blacktown Arts 2023 program at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre. The works span a range of styles and media including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and photo and mixed-media.
The independent judging panel comprising Venessa Possum (artist, CEO, Blue Mountains Culture and Resource Centre), Brett Adlington (CEO, Museums and Galleries NSW) and Fan Dongwang (local artist) commented that diverse and versatile styles were reflected amongst the selected finalists’ work which included a mix of emerging and established artists.
This year, Blacktown Arts received 514 entries from across Australia.
Visitors can vote for their favourite artwork in the People’s Choice Prize. The winner will be announced in the final week of the exhibition.
Alongside the Art Prize, Blacktown Arts will be showcasing over 100 artworks from the 2022/23 Young Artist Prize. Kids and young people aged 3-14 years from Blacktown City have created artworks in response to the theme of Caring for Waterways.
The Blacktown City Art Prize and Young Artist Prize exhibition is open to the public from Tuesday 10 January to Friday 17 February 2023.
Entry is free and all are welcome.
