Julie Fragar was presented the $15,000 Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award 2016 by Mayor Steve Martin for her work Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide at the 2016 Finalists Exhibition on Friday 25 November. This year’s Tidal exhibition was officially opened by the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP at the Devonport Regional Gallery.
Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide is a richly layered painting that contains multiple images and references. The Brisbane-based artist, Julie Fragar, made the work after travelling to the Azores Islands in Portugal. Here, her ancestor Antonio, aged 12, ventured onto a whaling ship in 1850 – arriving in Australia 6 years later.
The 22 finalists and winner were selected by two nationally recognised art experts, Jane Devery Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, and Jane Stewart, Principal Curator of Art at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
“The judges were very thorough in their selection spending a great deal of time with each work. Narrowing the prize down to one recipient wasn’t an easy task, but the resulting decision will make a great addition to the Tidal Collection which continues to grow in strength and in a range of 2D media,” said Gallery Director Ellie Ray.
“Julie’s painting captures the wild adventure in a way which brings the present and the past together. The historic narrative reminds us of the continuing patterns of migration that reflect Australia today and is a compelling response to the ‘tidal’ theme.” said Tidal 2016 judges Jane Stewart and Jane Devery.
L-R: Ellie Ray, Jane Stewart and Jane Devery
The Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award 2016 Finalists Exhibition is on from 26 November to 29 January. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite work in the Peoples’ Choice Award. The winning artist will receive $1,000, courtesy of Collins Real Estate, and will be announced at the close of the exhibition in January.
Image credit: Julie Fragar, Antonio Departs Flores on the Whaling Tide, 2016, oil on board
2016 Finalists:
Diane Allison, Louisa Bufardeci, Janet Bush, Alex Davern, Julie Fragar, Joey Gracia, Helga Groves, Katherine Hattam, Liam James, Anthony Johnson, Amber Koroluk-Stephenson, Michael Muruste, Penny Mason, Sara Manser, Tess Campbell, Troy Ruffels, David Stephenson & Martin Walch, Evelyn Vyhnal, Megan Walch, Matt Warren, Carole Wilson, Anne Zahalka
History:
Tidal was first launched in 2004, and since 2010 has been a $15,000 acquisitive award. As a result, three Tidal Award recipients work to date have become a part of the Devonport City Council’s Permanent Collection.
The recipient of the first acquisitive Tidal Award in 2010 was Hobart based photographer and cinematographer Matthew Newton, for his digital print Moonbird boy 3. In 2012, Launceston based artist Paul Snell was the recipient of the second acquisitive Tidal Award for his work Elliptic # 201201. The third and most recent acquisitive Tidal Award in 2014 was presented to yet another Tasmanian artist, Hobart based Joel Crosswell, for his work Galaxias.
