by Shane Sody
“It feels great to win!” said Goolwa-based artist John Foubister as his painting of sticks and rocks was named as the surprise winner of the $20,000 first prize in the 2023 Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize.
The official opening at the Adelaide Festival Centre on Friday 24 March was hosted by former Lord Mayor, the newly-appointed chair of the State Heritage Council, Sandy Verschoor.
Pics: Lyndon Stacy
Deputy Premier, Susan Close MP, raised some eyebrows when she urged the audience to “fight for your Park Lands”. The Adelaide Park Lands Association, hosting the event, is fighting the State Government, on several fronts, on behalf of your Park Lands.
Following Dr Close on stage, to give out 15 prizes, was the Lord Mayor, Jane Lomax Smith.
But the stars of the night were the 75 artists whose 80 works are now featured throughout the foyer galleries of the Festival Centre.
Pics: Lyndon Stacy
See the full list of prize-winners below.
The winning entry from John Foubister was described by the judges as:
“a quietly commanding work, its seemingly simple composition opens up to reveal a subtly modulated palette and masterful brushwork. The painting follows an ethos of close and slow looking – honing in on small, often overlooked details. The humble sticks and stones are arranged in a way that imbues them with a talismanic quality. This painting has come from careful observation of the environment and distils decades of artistic practice - it asks us to contemplate the nobility of nature."
Eight art works were purchased by opening night guests.
You can see the works in person at the Festival Centre up until Sunday 7 May. Photos of all finalists works are also available on the Park Lands Art Prize website, and are being snapped up, one-by-one, through on-line purchases. To purchase:
select “View full artwork” and then
click “add to cart”
Sale proceeds go 70% to the artist, with a 30% commission to the Adelaide Park Lands Association.
PRIZE WINNERS
Overall winner $20,000
John Foubister “The nobility of rocks and sticks. Life on the ground” . Oil paint on marine plywood.
Young artist (u25) $2,000
Hamish Fleming - “Nightwalk” Oil, acrylic and aerosol paint on canvas.
The judges said: ”a beautifully painted litter receptacle, better known as a rubbish bin. It has been well constructed and a good rubbish bin is an important addition to any park as it helps keep any landscape neat.”
School student $2,000
Piper Binsted - “Home” Mixed media.
The judges said: “A gem. Thoughtful and a great reminder that life is tough for many of us.”
Digital art $2,000
Tom Borgas - “Hyperobject (Kadaltilla)
The judges said: “[this] colourful, speculative Hyperobject playfully disrupts the landscape and becomes a vehicle for us to reconsider the parklands and appreciate it anew.”
Emerging Artist $2,000
Brenton Drechsler - “Looking East” (top) and “Looking West” (below).
The judges said: “This diptych represents the emergence of a distinctive and exciting new talent. Brenton Dreschler’s green and white striped motif draws the eye in, queers the landscape and is set amongst a dark unsettling sky. The painting locates the viewer in the parklands, and captures the personal, familiar journey, but makes it unfamiliar and compelling.”
Photography $2,000
Steph Fuller “Close Orbit”
The judges said: “By training her lens on the undulating, textured bark of a tree, Steph Fuller imagines a new galaxy of potential. The light and shadow play in Fuller’s photograph feel like we’re looking at an image of a far away planet.”
First Nations Artist $2,000
Barbara Milpati Baker - “Ngapari Tjukurpa”
The judges said: ‘Ngapari Tjukuṟpa’ reflects the warmth of the earth and the beauty of the plants and possibly some things that are hiding from us.”
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Daryl Austin - "Shrouded Monument, Tarntanyangga 2022".
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Alison Arnold - “Popeye’s Ark”
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Clare Belfrage - "Tree Lines, Pale Green with Dark Green".
Judges’ commendation $2,000
James Elsby - "Ghosts and Gums"
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Blake Griffiths - "Rabid Eradication (Persistent Pestilence)"
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Sharon McEachern - "Precious Preservation"
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Deb McKay - "Grasslands"
Judges’ commendation $2,000
Ross Potter - "Dear Life"
ONE MORE AWARD TO GO!
The $2,000 People’s Choice category winner will be announced after the exhibition closes on 7 May.
Check out all 80 entries, either:
in-person at the Adelaide Festival Centre or at
Online at: https://parklandsart.com/category/finalist-features/
Then, vote for your favourite at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R233LFH
