The creativity and vision of the Pilbara was on display at this year’s Cossack Art Awards with $97,000 in prize money awarded for some amazing pieces of art.
The unique regional art awards, presented by the City of Karratha and Principal Partner Rio Tinto, returned for their 34th year, transforming the century-old heritage buildings of Cossack into a striking exhibition space for hundreds of artworks.
Some 300 artworks from across the nation entered, bringing the historic town to life with texture, colour, and talent during July and August.
Nyurnma (Burnt Country) by Jenny Butt won this year’s Best Overall Artwork.
This year’s Judges said the artwork stood out for its immediate impact, and its complex depth of colour and composition.
“Although the details of the story embedded in the work may not be instantly clear, it allows us to enter, establish our own bearings and wonder at what this country might be prepared to tell us if we are patient enough to open our eyes and ears.”
City of Karratha Mayor Daniel Scott said the Cossack Art Awards continued to showcase and celebrate the high level of talent.
“Our region has become a renowned artistic hub and the calibre of artworks entered this year reflects the rich culture and creativity we have to offer,” Mayor Scott said.
“This year’s winning work by Jenny Butt is an incredible work reflecting the cultural practice of bush burning, carried out to care for Country and keep it healthy.
“I would also like to thank our judging panel who had the difficult task of selecting the winning and highly commended works.
“I encourage everyone to visit the exhibition and get involved with the public program of events, activities including workshops with our esteemed Artist-in- Residence over the coming weeks.”
Rio Tinto Managing Director, Pilbara Rail, Port and Services Chris Osborn said the Awards have become a highlight of the Pilbara calendar.
"Congratulations to this year's winners and all exhibiting artists. The standard of work on display is exceptional.
“We've been proud supporters of the Cossack Art Awards for more than two decades and it’s wonderful to see the historic town of Cossack come to life with creativity, colour and stories from across the Pilbara and beyond.”
To see the full list of winners and highly commended artists, visit the Cossack Art Awards website
Overall Winner
Sponsor: City of Karratha
Artist: Jenny Butt
Title: Nyurnma (Burnt Country)
Judge’s comments:
This work stood out for its immediate impact, and its complex depth of colour and composition. The work communicates with palpable authority, and of all the works in the show, continued to speak and resonate with repeated viewings. It is a work that is generous in allowing us time and space to stand before it. Although the details of the story embedded in the work may not be instantly clear, it allows us to enter, establish our own bearings and wonder at what this country might be prepared to tell us if we are patient enough to open our eyes and ears.
Best Artwork by Pilbara Artwork
Sponsor: Rio Tinto
Artist: Rodney Adams
Title: Roebourne Town mid-80s
Judge’s comments:
The scale of this work matches the scale of the story and experience being depicted. An account of an idyllic period in the history of Roebourne, the map-like composition has been designed to lead us down to the Harding River at the bottom of the painting, which seems to be the important foundation for much that goes on in Roebourne. In a way, the dwellings, the streets, and the landscape beyond are all tributaries of this river - importantly depicted before the river was dammed, in a more living, flowing and dynamic state.
Emerging Young Artists
Sponsor: Citic Pacific Mining
Artist: Ruby Smith
Title: Bungarra by Banksia
Judges Comments:
This work creatively translates the colours, textures and flora and fauna of the Pilbara into a still life. Executed with great skill, the intimate scale of this embroidered work sustains repeated viewings and tells a bigger story through its sensitive observations.
Painting By Pilbara Indigenous Artist
Sponsor: Rio Tinto
Artist: Tessa Birch
Title: 6AM Low Tide
Judge’s comments:
This painting gives us insight into the complex environment experienced at low tide. As water and land intermingle, this work is a finely observed and experienced network of lines, patterns and rhythms. Much attention has been given to the subtle colours that appear and disappear in the changes unfolding at low tide.
Pilbara Landscape
Sponsor: City of Karratha
Artist: Allery Sandy
Title: After the Cyclone
Judges Comments:
This aerial view of the Pilbara does so much more than simply taking a photograph from above. It shows the beautiful colours and patterns revealed after a cyclone, but also takes us closer, and what it is like to walk through these ravines and waterways. It helps us understand the importance of cyclonic rains that feed the landscape and the whole ecosystem as it travels inland, changing its shape and colour as it spreads out.
Portraits
Sponsor: Pilbara Development Commission
Artist: Amanda Forward
Title: The Shapes We Keep
Judge’s comments:
In a highly contested category, that had many excellent entries, this work grew and grew in the eyes of the judges. Once again, it does not strive to capture the detail of facial features, but probes deeper into family traits that may appear through different generations or shared by siblings. In this way, it becomes a moving and mysterious composite portrait, that has emerged through the process of painting.
North West Flora and Fauna
Sponsor: Pilbara Ports
Artist: Lyn Franke
Title: A Tactile Terrain
Judge’s comments:
This textile work employed a rich and varied range of processes to capture the mosaic-like quality of the northwest landscape. It initially captures a bigger picture, but zooms in to take us closer to the complex membrane of the plants, flowers and leaf litter that rest at our feet. The kaleidoscopic use of colour and texture captured our attention in this work.
Open Theme
Sponsor: ATCO Australia
Artist:
Title: Beneath earth and sky
Judges Comments:
This is a confident work that moves through a big landscape bravura brushwork and a refined understanding of colour and composition. The upper third of the painting employs a subtle array of colours to striking effect, which acts as a contrast to the solidity of the foreground.
Works on Paper
Sponsor: City of Karratha
Artist: Madison Mueller
Title: Octopus Garden
Judges Comments:
The wonder of the elaborate lengths that an octopus will go to in order to camouflage itself is beautifully articulated in this highly refined watercolour. This work also alerts us to the important benefits of looking closely underwater in order to understand interrelationships between those who spend their time moving about amongst the coral reefs.