Three local artists are among the 58 finalists of this year’s prestigious Blake art prize.
Yuhana Nashmi (Ruse), Khaled Sabsabi (Green Valley) and Linda Sok (Cecil Hills) have made the cut from 600 entries.
They are now in with a chance to win one of Australia’s longest running art competitions.
Winners will be announced at an official launch event on May 18 at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, which has been hosting the Blake for close to 10 years.
The winner of the 68th Blake prize will pick up $35,000, with $6000 going to the Blake emerging artist. Also, the winner of the Blake established artist residency will receive a residency and a solo exhibition at Casula Powerhouse.
The entries by the 58 finalists will be on display at Casula Powerhouse from May 11 to July 7.
The 68th Blake prize finalists were selected by a panel of judges renowned for their contribution to the discourse of contemporary art and spirituality in Australia.
The judges include interdisciplinary artists and Worimi man Dean Cross, director of UNSW Galleries and curator of the 2024 Adelaide Biennial José Da Silva, and Professor in religion within the School of Humanities at the University of Sydney Professor Jay Johnston.
The judges said they selected the finalists based on a group of entries that have made some unexpected interpretations of faith-based cultures and belief systems.
The selected artworks include a range of materials and methodologies.
The Blake Prize is a biennial exhibition that highlights local and international contemporary artists who explore ideas of spirituality and religion through contemporary artworks.
Pictured above is a 2022 Blake entry.
