Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t get the winning entry in this year’s Fisher’s Ghost art award.
I am sure Tina Havelock Stevens, the Sydney based artist who took out the award and the $20,000 in prizemoney, is very good at what she does.
But how her entry, Let’s Groove, was the absolute standout from more than 700 others in a Campbelltown art competition is beyond me.
Get down to the Campbelltown Arts Centre and have a look for yourself, but as for me, well, another entry of a video on a large TV screen winning the big prize confirms that “contemporary’’ art, whatever that is, rules, OK?
Campbelltown’s famous open art award is chosen from works that represent all artistic categories and styles, including traditional, drawing, painting and printmaking, photography and sculpture.
Good luck to Havelock Stevens, who graciously accepted her award last Friday night from the president of the Friends of Campbelltown Arts Centre, Dorothy Heatley.
“I’m very honoured to have won the open award at this year’s Fisher’s Ghost Art Award,’’ the artist said.
“I’m a fan of many of the artists in the show and I’ve also been exhibiting at Fisher’s Ghost consistently for the last five years.
“I won the Contemporary award back in 2013, this award makes me think even more that the ghost of Fisher is looking after me,” Havelock Stevens said.
So let me tell you about her winning entry: it is made up of a large TV screen and two speakers on the floor.
The screen shows Havelock Stevens playing drums for several minutes.
According to the media release, “Havelock Stevens channels her former self by playing to a sound design/mash up of the first tune she ever drummed to.’’
When it’s over, the screen goes blank for a few moments, then the video is played again, and so on.
I watched it three times.
Maybe I’m just a Campbelltown oaf who doesn’t understand the nuances of contemporary works like Let’s Groove.
But after looking at all the entries which made it to finalist stage, I couldn’t help thinking that if I was the judge I would have gone down a different path.
This is a Campbelltown art award after all, and surely the winning entry should say something about our community, its concerns, its pleasures.
And there are so many to choose from, but I’d start with Jessica Fesic’s Uncle Ivan – hung just above the winning entry.
Aboriginal elder Uncle Ivan Wellington is a fixture of local community life and his wonderful portrait does justice to the gentle and wise man behind the face.
Then there’s Michael Fardon’s Adaption#2, which makes a powerful statement about our local koala colony and the threat of massive new housing developments.
Sally West’s The Bottle Shop, which looks suspiciously like a familiar location of central Campbelltown we’ve all been to, is also another nice work that would have rated highly with me.
I don’t disagree with Michael Dagostino, the director of Campbelltown Arts Centre, when he says: “This year’s exhibition is a fantastic display of works from a range of artistic practices, by artists at all stages of their careers. Almost half of the works in this exhibition came from artists who call the Macarthur region home, as well as a huge showing of works from our local students.’’
He is right, there are some excellent work on show right now in our beautiful art gallery, so make sure you catch the Fisher’s Ghost art award exhibition before it closes down on December 14.
However, maybe the time has come to change the rules regarding Fisher’s Ghost art award.
Especially when it comes to the open award, which comes with a generous cash prize.
After all, Campbelltown Arts Centre belongs to the ratepayers of Campbelltown since they finance its $3 million annual operation.
Surely the art work that wins a Campbelltown art prize should say something about Campbelltown.
Sure, art is universal, but the Fisher’s Ghost art award is a Campbelltown competition.
We don’t want to stop artists from anywhere else submitting their works and they can be eligible for category prizes.
But the big one, the Open, should have some relevance to this old town.
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Campbelltown Arts Centre was won a Museum & Galleries of NSW IMAGinE award for Another Day in Paradise, an exhibition of more than 100 works by the late Myuran Sukumaran.
Another Day in Paradise recorded the highest attendance ever, with 38,000 visiting the arts centre while it was on.
The exhibition was curated by artist and mentor to Myuran, Ben Quilty, and Campbelltown Arts Centre director Michael Dagostino.
“We are very honoured to have received this award for the second year in a row.’’ Mr Dagostino said.
“Another Day in Paradise was a powerful exhibition that explored the transformative power of art and profiled human rights through multiple layers of social justice.’’
♦ Campbelltown Arts Centre is open 10am – 4pm daily and admission is free. All works on display are for sale.
