Finalists selected for Togart Award 2009
1 June 2009
Forty-three finalists have been selected from a highly competitive field for this year’s $15,000 Togart Contemporary Art Award (NT) 2009.
Darwin Waterfront Public Art Manager Felicity Green said that this year’s short-listing was an extremely difficult job and that the finalist positions were heavily contested.
“Now in the fourth year, it is clearly evident that the Togart Award has achieved the strong recognition and admiration of Northern Territory related artists. The quality of all 130 entries was extremely high, clearly indicating that this is a coveted Award.”
This year’s finalists come from the Northern Territory, Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT and Western Australia with a strong presence of entries from Central Australia, although the actual names of the artists would not be disclosed.
“We won’t be disclosing the finalist artwork to the public until the exhibition opens,” Ms Green said. “With a variety of works across mediums, not knowing who is included in the show will maintain an element of anticipation to the opening of the award.”
Finalist entries will be judged by well-regarded art dealer, patron and philanthropist Phillip Bacon AM, senior curator at the National Gallery of Australia, Dr Deborah Hart and senior curator of Aboriginal Art at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Francesca Cubillo.
The winner of the Togart Award will be announced by Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson on Thursday, 3 September and presented with a prize of $15,000.
The Togart Contemporary Art Award (NT) 2009 exhibition will be held at the Northern Territory Parliament House from 1 – 18 September.
A People’s Choice Award of $5,000 will also be awarded to the work judged via a people’s choice ballot box.
The Togart Contemporary Art Award (NT) is managed by the Toga Group of Companies (Toga), the hospitality, commercial and residential developer at the Darwin Waterfront and falls under the Waterfront’s public art and heritage program.
In a joint initiative with the Northern Territory Government, Toga has developed a substantial public art program at the Darwin Waterfront Development. Stage One of the project has seen approximately $1.5 million invested into public art in the precinct.
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Media contact: Jeannette Button (08) 8941 9169, 04047 727 080
