Art Prize Themes: Fire
Each art prize we find there are themes that have influenced a large collective of artists. This year our biggest collective theme was Fire, resulting from our experiences with the “Black Summer” of fires across the country and the aftermath.
THE BURNING TREE | HELEN ROBINSON
Australia faced a devastating start to its fire season in late 2019, where a state of fire emergency was declared across 42 Queensland communities. Fire fighters braced for a dangerous collision of weather systems and what followed was a path of death and devastation as never seen before.
MY BROTHER'S COUNTRY IS ON FIRE | ROBYN KINSELA
My approach with the paint was rapid at first, as were my thoughts, when my brother’s land in northern NSW was engulfed by bush fire earlier last year. A proud keeper of the land, he saw this as part of its evolution where a new beauty would, and did, emerge.
NARRATIVE: 24 HOURS | ROB ALLEN
Narrative: 24 hours 24 hours as witness: initially, a towering cloud, enveloping; a late lull, almost benign; on into a restless night ... it erupted all over again. Broken rhythms; swinging moods, skittering focus. Magnetic, subtle. 24 hours of dark, incomprehensible loss ... but, also, survival.
SMOKE HAZE & EMBERS | SCOTT MCDOUGALL
I gave great consideration as to whether to include something living into this scene of devastation where everything has been reduced to stinking smoke haze and bitter ash. I finally chose to include the yellow tailed black cockatoos. The recent bushfires that swept across our wide brown land were traumatic enough without including some glimmer of hope. These particular cockatoos have been flying around our Northern NSW house, calling us, for the last couple of weeks, they obviously wanted to be in my painting ! In Aboriginal dreaming stories, the black cockatoo is said to represent spirit-strengthening, change and herald the coming of rain.
AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES SERIES | MEGAN PULS
Australian Bushfires is inspired by the natural landscape, and particularly the extraordinary and ever-changing world of our changing climate. I have created my contemporary take on our bush fires, devastating as they are — their presence felt while burning — rebirth, amazing. Organic in shape, quiet in nature, this vessel evokes the beauty and fragility of our complex land.
UNTAMEABLE, TERRA AUSTRALIS | NIGEL WESLEY
In the grips of one of the worst droughts in living history, Stanthorpe is ravaged by intense fires while also under threat of running out of water by the years end. The harsh elements of country & nature, will always dominate in our world that humans would like to control.
BURNT | JULIE PENNINGTON
The exploration of texture and pattern that underpins my work has been influenced by the effect of bushfires on our landscape. This piece references the dark textures to be found in the burnt remains of this recent catastrophic event.
ENVIRO PRAYER BEADS | KY CURRAN
Enviro Prayer Beads responds to the environmental impact recent fires, floods and drought has on the human psyche. Each bead is cast then fired using collected wood ash from or natural materials such as Bunya nuts, seaweed, pandanus seeds, cuttlefish, pistachio and macadamia nuts, chicken and duck eggs.
FIRE AND VANISHING FALLS | DAVE GROOM
Living on a dry forest ridge, barely escaping fires that burnt around us, we witnessed natures revival, as the rain returned, shrouding the rainforest to the south of us in cloud, waterfalls flowing, some for just a day or two. An event that becomes more precious as the fires burn closer.
AFTER THE RAIN | PATTY MOXHAM
This work is a representation of my emotional and spiritual feelings regarding the ongoing climate conditions, bush fires, natures cycles and the amazing rate of rejuvenation (green shoots). Life is vibrantly abundant but not without rain.
BANKSIA INTEGRIFOLIA VESSEL WITH BLUE WREN | FIONA HISCOCK
Banksia Integrifolia vessel celebrates the fragile coastal ecosystem in Southern Victoria. Recently affected by bushfire, this habitat has a rich biodiversity of interdependent species that is celebrated here. This work aims to draw our attention to our unique environment, cared for over a millennium by the First Nations people and now placed at risk by our expanding human footprint.
BLUE FLAX LILY | CATHY FRANZI
My work addresses the natural environment in a time of unprecedented threats. Blue Flax Lily is endemic to the east coast of Australia growing in moist shaded forests. Drought and frost tolerant, it is known as a fire-resistant plant, offering hope for revegetation after this season’s devastating bushfires.