Fjord, Ben Young, Winner of 2014 Mayor’s Prize and 2014 Viewers’ Choice Award as part of the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize (Credit: David Langley)
Woollahra Council’s signature event, the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize is a national prize for freestanding sculptures under 80cm in any dimension. The prize was initiated in 2001 to support, promote and celebrate artistic excellence, but also to encourage the local community to access the then, newly renovated Woollahra Council Chambers.
The $19,000 award money is spread across four categories, with an acquisitive award of $15,000 solely for the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize.
Woollahra Councillor Anthony Marano, and Chair of the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize Committee said, ‘The 2015 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize will proudly celebrate 15 years in 2015!
‘Because the main award is acquisitive, Woollahra Council has built an impressive and eclectic collection of sculptures, which are on permanent display to the community,’ said Marano.
Winning works by artists like Adam Cullen, Alex Seton, Mikala Dwyer, Julia DeVille, Louis Pratt, Jan Kin, Jessie Cacchilo and Margaret Seymour among others are part of the collection open for visitors.
Jo Jansyn, Cultural Development Coordinator, Community Services Woollahra Municipal Council, said the prize was popular with the local community due to the presence of a high number of galleries, gallerists, benefactors and collectors in the area.
‘The exhibition period has successfully provided the community with greater access to view the finalists’ works and winners as well as encourage participation in workshops, talks and other related activities.’
The prize, which introduced a touring component to mark its 10-year anniversary in 2010, allows for a wide range of materials to be used for the sculptures. Past acquisitions have had artists incorporate materials from the living (bonsai), the previously living (taxidermy), video art, found objects, bronze, marble and even plastic.
Judges for the 2015 prize will be announced soon. Councillor Anthony Marano said, ‘We spend a lot of considered time finding the right judges. We target high profile individuals who are influential in the arts industry.’
He said that at an average there are 500 entries annually and often in the process of pre-selection, the judges discover a new artist they are not yet familiar with.
‘Our judges are required to work together in the pre-selection stage to look through every single entry and I believe this is something that attracts artists to enter the Prize,’ added Marano.
The exhibition of the finalists will be launched on 9 October 2015 and will continue through to 25 October 2015.
Call for entries will commence on 1 April 2015 and closes on 3 July 2015. For further information, visit the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize website.
Woollahra Councillor Anthony Marano speaks about the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize.
