The winner of the prestigious Kilgour Prize will be revealed online this Friday, August 27 via Newcastle Art Gallery’s Facebook page and Instagram.
The Kilgour Prize is one of Australia’s major art prizes, awarding $50,000 to the most outstanding portraiture or figurative painting.
Presented by Newcastle Art Gallery, the competition attracted 476 artworks.
Three Newcastle applicants are among the 30 finalists, including Merewether-based artists Nick Fintan and John Earle and Carrington-based artist Gillian Adamson.
The announcement was planned for August 13, but due to uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and the current restrictions for NSW, the announcement has been postponed and moved online.
Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton and Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes will announce the winner on Friday at 6pm.
Morton said the Kilgour Prize displayed some of the best contemporary Australian portraiture and figurative paintings.
“The Kilgour Prize encourages Australian artists to pursue and push the boundaries of portraiture and figurative painting,” Morton said.
“This year’s selected artists present diverse interpretations of the brief, resulting in a very dynamic exhibition with works focusing on everything from experiences in lockdown through to scenes of everyday life.
“The quality of the works will make the selection process all the more difficult, but that is a wonderful challenge to have.”
This year the prize was judged by Lauretta Morton and Head of Curatorial, Campbelltown Arts Centre Adam Porter, as well as Head Teacher of Fine Arts at Newcastle Art School David Trout.
Along with the main Kilgour Prize, the People’s Choice prize of $5000 will open to the public for voting from Friday, August 27 at 6pm on the Kilgour Prize 2021 exhibition page.
Newcastle Art Gallery is currently closed due to COVID restrictions.
Hayley McMahon
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