Tjungurrayi claims prestigious art prize

Aboriginal Art Directory | 01.11.08

Author: Stephen Bevis
News source: The West Australian

Patrick Tjungurrayi is announced as the winner of the inaugural $50,000 WA Indigenous Art Award:

“They were the best, the best-looking,” judge Djon Mundine said with disarming simplicity to explain the choice announced by Premier Colin Barnett at the Art Gallery of WA last night FRI.

Mr Mundine said the judges initially had resisted giving the inaugural $50,000 WA Indigenous Art Award to Tjungurrayi because his paintings fitted the dot-and-dash Aboriginal art stereotype and the intention of the award was to showcase the diversity of styles across the country.

Among the 90 works from the 16 finalists were the video projections and digital photography of Queenslanders Jenny Fraser and Fiona Foley, the intricate linocut prints of Torres Strait Islander Alick Tipoti and the bold, pop-art banners of Brisbane artist Gordon Hookey.

But Tjungurrayi’s three untitled paintings, each of them 2.5m wide, had leapt out as the best, Mr Mundine said.

“His three pictures as a group had a particularly strong presence and were really pushing the tradition he was working in. These are powerful, masterful, monumental works.”

The 16 finalists’ artworks will be on show at the Art Gallery of WA until January, when the winner of the $5000 People’s Choice Award will be announced.

URL: http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=5&ContentID=105657

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Contact Details

Gallery: Art Gallery of WA
Email: admin@artgallery.wa.gov.au
Telephone: +61 8 9492 6600
Address: Perth Cultural Centre Perth Perth 6000 WA

Gallery: Western Australian Premier's Indigenous Art Awards
Email: IndigenousArtAward@artgallery.wa.gov.au
Telephone: +61 8 9492 6636
Address: Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth Cultural Centre, James St Perth Perth 6000 WA