Sunday, September 2, 2018

Finalist: Tidal.18 - the City of Devonport National Art Award

Exhibition Dates: 3 November 2018 – 27 January 2019

Opening and Award Night: Friday 2 November 2018

Floor Talk: Saturday 3 November

Location: Devonport Regional Gallery, 
45-47 Stewart Street, Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

More Information 

The Tidal: City of Devonport National Art Award is a biennial, acquisitive award. Artists residing in Australia are invited to submit 2-dimensional artworks that reflect on tidal – the natural, cultural, personal or political concerns related to the sea and coastal regions.
The Award provides a contemporary platform for artists to ponder the myriad perspectives and challenges inherent within the interconnections of land and sea while also encouraging excellence in concept, innovation and execution of 2-dimensional artwork.
The $15,000 Major Award is sponsored by the Devonport City Council and the Devonport Regional Gallery Friends Committee. $1,000 People’s Choice Award is sponsored by Collins Real Estate, Devonport. This is a non-acquisitive award selected by the viewers of Tidal. The Award is announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.
The Award aims to:

  • Encourage experimentation within and across mediums relative to 2-dimensional works of art
  • Present a stimulating and diverse exhibition of contemporary Australian art practice to the Devonport Community and visitors to the region
  • Promote excellence in contemporary visual art that reflects on natural, cultural, personal or political concerns related to the sea, coastal regions and coastal communities



Works by the following artists have been preselected:
Tasmania: Diane Allison, Priscilla Beck, Nikala Bourke, Sean Coyle, Alex Davern, Selena de Carvalho, Keith Deverell (2 works), Lisa Garland, Neil Haddon, Leigh Hobba, Mandy Hunniford, Liam James, Kim Lehman, Sue Lovegrove, Marion Marrison, Jennifer Marshall, Penny Mason, Janelle Mendham, Anne Morrison, James Newitt, Robert O'Connor, Tom O'Hern, David Stephenson, Martin Walch, Megan Walch, Matt Warren, Emily-Rose Wills, Stephen Woodbury and Chee Yong.
New South Wales: Heather Burness, Julia Davis, Tina Havelock Stevens, Rodney Pople and Peter Stevens         
Queensland: Kathrin Dierich & Trevor David O'Dwyer (joint work), Amanda Jane Gabori and Shannon Toth
Victoria: Mark Dober, Fiona Halse, Bridget Hillebrand, Martin King, Megan McPherson, Valerie Sparks,
Northern Territory: Sarah Genevieve Pirrie
Western Australia: Brian Robinson

Work selected: 



Installation view  - photographer Kelly Slater


                                                    Installation view  - photographer Kelly Slater


Above image: Where the Sea meets the Sand, mixed media on canvas, 200cm(W) x170cm (H), 2018





Above image: ( detail) Where the Sea meets the Sand, mixed media on canvas, 200cm(W) x170cm (H), 2018

Information regarding this work:

This work ‘Where the Sea meets the Sand’ has an underlying suspension and structure and hidden tide of forms that have been dissolved. The white weaves into positive to negative space like an undercurrent.  This abstract work seeks to capture a sense of openness and infinity. Forms are architectonic, but informal accidents and textures are found with line, Tachist approaches and this work has limited blue colour ranges with pockets of yellow. ‘Where the Sea meets the Sand’ seeks to capture rhythms that are evoked from the sea, from sea spray to buoyancy, a breath and moment of stillness.