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Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards

13 August 2011 - 19 December 2011

The Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards, the richest Indigenous arts prize in the country, is a national award founded in 2008 to celebrate the breadth, diversity and excellence of art from all corners of Indigenous Australia.

The awards acknowledge the significant and ongoing contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists make to Australian art, culture and society.

These national awards, now in their fourth year, are open to all adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists currently living in Australia, working in any theme or media, including (but not restricted to) painting on bark, canvas and paper, prints, sculpture, fibre art, ceramics, glass, photography, and digital media.

These Awards are comprised of a group exhibition of outstanding art and three non-acquisitive awards:

• Western Australian Indigenous Art Award of $50,000 (national)
• Western Australian Artist Award of $10,000 (for a Western Australian artist)
• People’s Choice Award of $5,000 (most votes from the public)

The 16 artists selected to exhibit in the
Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards 2011 are:

NAME LIVES LANGUAGE GROUP
Jan Billycan WA Yulparija
Michael Cook QLD Bidjara
Timothy Cook NT Tiwi
Angkaliya Curtis SA Pitjantjatjara
Gunybi Ganambarr NT Ngaymil
Angelina George NT Yugul Mangi
Gary Lee ACT Larrakia/Karajarri/Wadaman
Danie Mellor ACT Mamu/Ngagen/Ngajan
Patrick Mung Mung WA Gija
Trevor Nickolls SA Ngarrindjeri
Lena Nyadbi WA Gija
Tiger Palpatja SA Pitjantjatjara
Kuruwarriyingathi Bijarrb Paula Paul QLD Kayardild
Reko Gwaybilla Rennie VIC Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay/Gummaroi
Nyilyari Tjapangati NT Pintupi
Nyapanyapa Yunupingu NT Gumatj

 

Recipient of the Western Australian Indigenous art award 2011

The recipient of the richest Indigenous art award in Australia, the Western Australian Indigenous Art Award of $50,000 is Gunybi Ganambarr


Gunybi Ganambarr
Milngurr 2011
ochre, earth pigment and acrylic binder on rubber 97.0 x 77.0 cm
Artwork courtesy of the artist and the Buku-Larrnggay Centre, Yirrkala, Northern Territory
Image © Gunybi Ganambarr, courtesy of the artist and the Buku-Larrnggay Centre, Yirrkala, Northern Territory

Click here to view more works by Gunybi Ganambarr.

recipient of the Western Australian Artist Award

The recipient of the Western Australian Artist Award of $10,000 is Jan Billycan.


Jan Billycan
Kirriwirri 2011
synthetic polymer paint on linen
120.0 x 90.0 cm
Artwork courtesy of the artist and Short St Gallery, Broome, Western Australia
Image © Jan Billycan, courtesy of Short St Gallery, Broome, Western Australia

Click here to view more works Jan Billycan.
 

People's Choice Award Winner

The winner of the People's Choice Award of $5,000 is Michael Cook.


Michael Cook
Undiscovered 7 2010
inkjet print on Hahnemuhle paper, ed. 3/8
124.0 x 100.0 cm (image)
Artwork courtesy of Tony Denholder, Brisbane
Image © Michael Cook, courtesy of Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane
 

Commended Finalist

Congratulations to Timothy Cook.

"Though impressed by each and every work, we would like to make special mention of Timothy Cook, whose works of art captivated each of the judges throughout the intense process of identifying the winner. Cook is an artist with enormous vision and ability whose works are some of the very best being produced in Australia in the present moment." Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, Curator of Indigenous Art


Timothy Cook
Kulama 2011
ochre and acrylic binder on linen
120.0 x 90.0 cm
State Art Collection, Art Gallery of Western Australia
Purchased through the TomorrowFund, Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation, 2011
Image © Timothy Cook, courtesy of Jilamara Arts & Crafts and Seva Frangos Art
 

Artists', judges' and curator's talks

Opening Weekend Talks
Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 August    
If you happened to miss these talks, don't worry, we recorded them and they are now available to view on YouTube!

 
  The Western Australian Indigenous Art Award is accompanied by a fully illustrated exhibition catalogue.
 

More Information

For more information about the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards please contact the Awards Curator on + 61 8 9492 6635 or email: IndigenousArtAward@artgallery.wa.gov.au

The Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards and exhibition are supported by the Government of Western Australia through the Department of Culture and the Arts.

Past Awards

 

 

 

 

Last reviewed 24 November 2011

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