This month the Art Gallery of Western Australia introduces a new initiative inf the form of Portrait Month, which explores the many forms of portraiture across photography, painting, video and sculpture. And taking centre stage is the WA’s premier portraiture prize, the 2016 Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, presented for the first time at the State Art Gallery.
Although this is the first Portrait Month (note though that the “month” actually goes all the way through to January 2017), the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture is actually celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2016. Established in 2007 by ARTrinsic Inc, it represents the third richest portraiture prize in Australia behind the Archibald and Moran competitions. This year’s selected finalists are in the running for $70,000 worth of prizes – including the main $50,000 major prize.
There are 40 finalists, including 13 West Australian artists. The remainder hail from across the country; with 8 finalists from New South Wales, 5 from South Australia, 10 from Victoria, 2 from Queensland & 2 from Tasmania.
Artists were invited to submit portraits of an Australian, or Australians that they respect or admire from all walks of life. The entries include portraits of well-known Australian identities such as Les Murray, Thomas Keneally, Ben Elton and the late Judy Cassab AO CBE. Other portraits include first-time finalist Kendal Gear with her portrait of fellow artist Claudine Gueho, and Tom Macbeth’s portrayal of Syd Kirkby, a highly regarded Australian surveyor and Antarctic explorer. Thirteen of the 40 finalists chose to enter self-portraits.
The major prizes will be announced on 14 October 2016.
Portrait Month and the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture are currently showing at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth. The Black Swan Prize exhibition continues to 31 October 2016; while the Portrait Month is on until January 2017.
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David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television