Northcote artist Nathan Gray has been awarded the richest art prize in the western suburbs, taking out the $10,000 Substation contemporary art prize in Newport.
Judges Max Delany and Mark Feary presented Gray with the top prize last Friday for his multi-screen video and sound installation, Species of Spaces.
The judges commented: “Conceived originally for an industrial space on Cockatoo Island for the biennale of Sydney, the work is equally well situated within the residual architecture of The Substation.”
The Westie award – with a cash prize of $1000 for an artist living and working in Melbourne’s west – went to Sunshine’s Phuong Ngo for his installation,
Residual: Selected Components of Article 14.1. It’s the second-straight year he’s won the award.
The Substation exhibition award went to West Melbourne’s Bridie Lunney for her performance work, Any Second Now.
Curator Jessica Bridgfoot said a shortlist of 500 artists from around Australia had been culled to 40 finalists.
A $1000 people’s choice award will be decided by visitors to the gallery and announced at the closure of an exhibition running until October 12.
The exhibition at The Substation, 5 Market Street, Newport, is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 11am-5pm.
