By Benjamin Millar
An exploration of colonisation’s impact on identity has collected top honours in the 2019 Footscray Art Prize.
Melbourne artist Megan Evans was awarded the $10,000 main prize for her photograph, Parlour, chosen from more than 800 entries vying for the biennial prize.
Judging panel Katrina Sedgwick, Hannah Presley and Raafat Ishak awarded the main prize and selected each of the category winners after spending a full day judging 33 shortlisted works that spanned photography, paintings, video and sculpture.
Their judging notes remarked that Evans’ work had left them lost in the “complex storytelling that requires a sustained viewing”.
“The responsibility she takes for her history is something deeply embedded in the power of the work,” they noted.
Evans, an interdisciplinary artist whose creative life began with large political murals in the 1980s, works in video, photography, sculpture and installation.
Louis Theuma’s Manhattan 1952, a re-imagining based on “what ifs” after World War II, was highly commended.
The judging panel selected Dogs of the West by Justine McCallister as the winner of the street art category.
The artwork showcases portraits of dogs that frequently visit the Martin Reserve dog park in West Footscray, which McCallister visits with her own two dogs.
The artwork will be installed on the corner of Irving and Nicholson streets in Footscray and is due to be completed by mid-late July.
Multilayered video work mum & me by Natasha Krcevinac won the tertiary category.
The work explores the complexity of mother-and-daughter relationships, experimentation and early adulthood.
Unconditional by Ashlin Lyons and Overwhelmed by Jessie Sun were joint winners of the secondary young artist prize, while Dogs make us all happy by Mayo Areej Fujieda picked up the primary young artist prize.
Winning main prize artworks and other shortlisted entrants will be on display until July 20 at Footscray Community Arts Centre.
Winners and shortlisted works in the tertiary and young artist categories are on display at VU at MetroWest.
