The planets must have aligned when the Fisher’s Ghost art award returned with a bang on Friday night.
It was such a successful night, Michael Dagostino, the director of the Campbelltown arts centre, just could not wipe the smile from his face.
Moments after Queensland artist Michael Cook walked away with the $60,000 Open prize, Mr Dagostino said to the South West Voice: “We’re back’’.
“With a bang,’’ was the Voice’s response, and that was no exaggeration.
The arts centre was packed to the brim with more than 650 people in attendance, almost 550 of whom paid for the privilege to attend one of the premier art events in the state of NSW.
But nobody was more impressed than the Open winner himself, pictured above.
Taking to the microphone after his entry, Resort, was named as the winner, Michael Cook paid our arts centre the ultimate compliment: “It’s my first time here as I am from Queensland, but this is a really amazing gallery,’’ he said.
“And it has great support from the local community,’’ he added, alluding to the big turnout for the 2022 art prize.
“I’d like to congratulate all the other artists, there is some amazing work here – I just walked around and checked it out,’’ Cook said.
The 2022 Fisher’s Ghost art award was the 60th year of this great community event, which has always been well supported – but Friday night’s attendance exceeded all expectations.
All up it received almost 1000 entries from around the country – and a third of those are up on the walls of the arts centre until December 9.
There was also prizemoney to match the 60th anniversary hype: $72,000, with $60,000 of that going to Michael Cook.
In recent years the award has evolved to ensure local artists have the opportunity shine as well, either via the $3000 South West Sydney award open to artists aged under 30 and living within the region.
Even more hyperlocal is the $1,000 Macarthur award.
The Aboriginal award, also $1,000, is open to Indigenous artists living and working within NSW.
The best work by an artist living with disability wins the Macability Award, which also offers $1,000 in prizemoney.
And, finally, young artists at primary and secondary school also have their own category to compete in every year.
The 2022 Fisher’s Ghost art award winners were:
Open Michael Cook
Contemporary Sam Doctor
Traditional Raneth Pich
South West Sydney Award Courtney CollerMacarthur Award Pamela U’Ren French
Aboriginal Art Award Maddison Gibbs
Macability Award Michelle Hamer
Primary Lily Belov, Leela Sturzenbaum, Lilly Thorton
Secondary Jackson Dillon, Jasnoor Kaur, Mason McPhee, Caitlyn Nguyen.
