Fisher’s open prize goes to ‘ghost’ artist

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Brian Fuata’s 2018 Fisher’s Ghost open award winning work Care Disfigurements (Soft Hands).
Brian Fuata’s 2018 Fisher’s Ghost open award winning work Care Disfigurements (Soft Hands). Photo: Silversalt Photography

Brian Fuata’s 2018 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award winning work Care Disfigurements (Soft Hands) features a “blank sheet’’ upon which the body becomes a text.

This has been a recurring motif across his varying practices, transforming in different contexts from emails, to paper, Word.Doc, google.doc, to film, to a white bed sheet for the Sydney artist’s ghost improvisations.

He certainly impressed this year’s judges of Fisher’s Ghost art award.

“Brian’s work is considered and compelling and a fantastic extension of his performative Ghost series,’’ said one of the judges,’’ Mikala Tai.

“From a very competitive field his work was a standout and I look forward to seeing how this direction of his practice evolves.”

Tony Albert and Fiona Davies were the other two judges on this year’s panel.

“Care Disfigurements (Soft Hands) is a bracket of my ghost structured-improvisations loosely centred around multiple contexts of care,” the artist said after being named this year’s Open winner.

The 2018 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award received a record number of entries, 1,126 all up.

“We’re thrilled to be celebrating the largest Fisher’s Ghost Art Award to date in 2018 which also marks Campbelltown Arts Centre’s 30th anniversary,’’ says Michael Dagostino, Campbelltown arts centre director.

“We received entries from artists far and wide and it’s wonderful to see such a fantastic display of works from a diverse range of artistic practices,’’ he said.

“Congratulations to the Open Award winner, Brian Fuata and all the category winners.

“I look forward to seeing these artists continue to support the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award and the development of their practice.”

The 2018 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award exhibition continues until December 13 in the arts centre. Entry is free.

Dennis Golding’s winning entry in the Aboriginal art category.
Dennis Golding’s winning entry in the Aboriginal art category.

2018 WINNERS SNAPSHOT

Open Brian Fuata

Contemporary Claudia Nicholson

Traditional Andrew Vanderschoor

Sculpture Rosie Deacon

Photography Valentina Schulte

Primary schools Zanab Almaliky, Liam McCleary, Siena Wallace

Secondary schools Asmaa Balat, Shane Hobday, Joyel Jiju, Fatima Naqvi

Surrealism Sarah Frost

Macarthur Rhonda Banks

Aboriginal Art Dennis Golding

Macability Award – Peter Gregson

And the 2018 winners are: (left to right) Valentina Schulte - photography, Shane Hobday - secondary, Sarah Frost - surrealism, Andrew Vanderschoor -traditional, Rhonda Banks - Macarthur, Peter Gregson - Macability, Asmaa Balat - secondary, Rosie Deacon - sculpture, Dennis Golding - Aboriginal art.
And the 2018 winners are: (left to right) Valentina Schulte – photography, Shane Hobday – secondary, Sarah Frost – surrealism, Andrew Vanderschoor -traditional, Rhonda Banks – Macarthur, Peter Gregson – Macability, Asmaa Balat – secondary, Rosie Deacon – sculpture, Dennis Golding – Aboriginal art.

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