Title

Black Swan Prize for Portraiture 2016.

Venues

Art Gallery of Western Australia. (8 October 2016 – 31 October 2016)

Date

(2016)

Summary

Multi-artist exhibition. Located: Australia (WA).

Curator

Dunja Rmandic

Country of context

Australia

Abstract

In an exciting new initiative for 2016, AGWA introduces Portrait Month where we explore the many forms of portraiture across photography, painting, video and sculpture.

Taking centre focus is the State’s premier portraiture prize, the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, presented for the first time at the State Art Gallery.

Of the 40 finalists, 13 West Australian artists, are represented in the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture. From across the country there are 8 finalists from NSW, 5 from SA, 10 from VIC, 2 from QLD & 2 from TAS.

Rachel Coad, a West Australian professional artist from South Fremantle, has won the prestigious $50,000 Lester Group Prize as part of the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, WA’s only portrait prize, with her portrait of artist Waldemar Kolbusz titled Indian Summer.

In an exciting new initiative – the first of its kind in Australian portrait prizes – the finalists’ also voted for their favourite artwork in the $10,000 Tony Fini Foundation Artist Prize. The winner, as chosen by their peers, was Mark Tweedie from Mt Lawley WA with his portrait of a close family friend Ken Bindle titled It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Two artists were Highly Commended and received $500 art gift vouchers from HU Kendall & Co Art Supplies. They were Daniel Smith from Rockingham WA with his portrait of Ben Elton titled Thinking of you, Shakespeare and Kate Kurucz from Kensington Gardens SA for her portrait of her father titled Dad and Clams.

A portrait of Syd Kirkby MBE, an Australian surveyor and Antarctic explorer, by Queensland artist Tom Macbeth has won the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture Amana Living People’s Choice Award. Tom is awarded $7,500 for his prize.

The Black Swan Prize for Portraiture is celebrating its tenth Anniversary in 2016. [Gallery media].