Announcement | 2016 Blacktown City Art Prize Winners

For the first time, all prizes in the Blacktown City Art Prize have been won by women or predominantly female collectives.

“The Blacktown City Art Prize has once again shown itself to be the premier art prize in Western Sydney,” the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali said.

“Blacktown City Council is proud of its long history and we congratulate this year’s winners.”

Jane Giblin from Lutana in Tasmania won the $15,000 major prize for her watercolour and mixed-media painting, Lilu Stands to Izzie.

The judges were instantly drawn to “the skill, boldness of subject and emotional power” of the winning work.

Blacktown artist Melissa Chapman’s Irrational Logic was awarded the Local Artist Prize and was Highly Commended in the main category.

Melissa’s “compelling” 3D work “demonstrates artistic skill and flair”, said the judges.

The Aboriginal Artist Prize was awarded to the Bankstown Koori Elders Group for their ceramic work, Murris and Kooris.

“The material and composition of the piece was unexpected,” said the judges.

“Each element was uniquely resolved and worked together to form a compelling visual whole.”

Amala Groom’s Read Before Consuming, The Sane Ones by Nerissa Lea and Rosalind Stanley’s My World received the remaining Highly Commended awards.

The judging panel, comprised of internationally acclaimed artist Khadim Ali; leading Sydney gallerist and arts advocate Janet Clayton; and Indigenous writer, curator and academic Stephen Gilchrist said they faced a difficult task when selecting winning works from the pool of 400 entries.

“We were impressed with the overall standard of the entries which included nationally-recognised artists alongside emerging local artists,” the judging panel said in a statement.

“The diversity of work across cultural practice, art forms, genre, scale and intent required us to look beyond the form and materiality to the intrinsic qualities of each work.

“We were ultimately drawn to works of art that offered singular artistic statements and revelled in the exploration of their chosen media.”

This year, for the first time, everyone will be able to view all the artworks in the exhibition on Instagram (@blacktowncityartprize), and cast a vote for their favourite work.

The 2016 Blacktown City Art Prize will be exhibited from Saturday, 3 December to Saturday, 28 January 2017 at Blacktown Arts Centre. Admission is free.

The 2016 Blacktown City Art Prize is proudly supported by Ford Land Company, Westlink M7, Blacktown Workers Club, Atura Hotel Blacktown and Blacktown City Council’s Sustainable Living program.

Exhibition | 2016 Blacktown City Art Prize
3 December 2016 – 28 January 2017
Blacktown Arts Centre

Artworks

Winner 2016 Blacktown City Art Prize
Jane Giblin, Lilu Stands to Izzie, 2015

Winner Aboriginal Artist Prize
Bankstown Koori Elders Group, Murris and Kooris, 2016

Winner Local Artist Prize and Highly Commended
Melissa Chapman, Irrational Logic, 2015

Highly Commended
Nerissa Lea, The Sane Ones, 2016

Highly Commended
Rosalind Stanley, My World, 2016

Highly Commended
Amala Groom, Read Before Consuming, 2016