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Detail from A Local Girl Comes Home, by David Tucker ... winner 2008 Blake Prize for Religious Art. Photo courtesy of the artist.

POSTED: 11 AUGUST 2009

Blake Prize finalists announced*

Chair of the Blake Society, Rev Rod Pattenden, has announced the finalists for the 58th Blake Prize. The winner will be announced on September 3, 2009. This years’ judging panel comprised of Del Kathryn Barton, Stephen Crittenden and Andrew Frost.

The 2009 selection, from over 1000 entries includes a strong representation of emerging contemporary artists, Indigenous artists and a broad range of media including installation, video, drawing, painting, fabric-based works, sculpture and photography.

Finalists, listed on the Blake Society website, include works by Liam Benson, Adam Cullen, Adrienne Doig, Brent Harris, Locust Jones, Jasper Knight, Lindy Lee, Guy Maestri, Ms & Mr (Stephanie and Richard nova Milne), Grant Stevens and Ken Yonetani.

Rev Pattenden is delighted with the diversity and standard of entries this year:

“This year the Blake Prize bristles with ideas. Far more than any other art prize, the Blake Prize gives artists an opportunity to explore their motivations, loves and passionate questions. Its very breadth provides an opportunity to feel the pulse of spirituality and its place in our culture.

“In a world situation dominated by climate change, terrorism and border protection, the Blake provides us with a wonderful opportunity to explore our uniqueness, and to celebrate in turn the healthy diversity of Australian life.”

This year there is also a new category, sponsored by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA): the Blake Prize for Human Justice. This new award, worth $5000, will acknowledge and promote the work of artists who have addressed issues of human justice.

The John Coburn Emerging Artist Award of $5000 will also be awarded this year, as will the Blake Poetry Prize, of $5000, undertaken in partnership with the NSW Writers’ Centre and Leichhardt Council. Finalists for the Blake Poetry Prize will be announced on 17 August.

The winners of all Blake Prizes will be announced on Thursday 3 September at the National Art School. The 58th Blake Prize Exhibition will be on view at the National Art School Gallery, Forbes Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, from 4 September to 3 October 3. The Gallery is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday. Entry is free.

Professor Anita Taylor, Director of the School, said: “The presentation of this major national open submission exhibition marks an important event on the National Art School calendar, and the school is delighted to contribute to this process of strengthening knowledge and understanding of contemporary art that explores the often highly contested realm of belief-systems, religion and the spiritual in art in Australia.”

Further details and a full list of finalists can be found at www.blakeprize.com.au

*Based on media release issued by the Blake Society.