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Designer scarf, designer painting.
This year there have been a number of high profile entrants in the Mosman Art Prize, and the winner is no exception.
At the official exhibition opening at Mosman Art Gallery on Tuesday 23 August, Brisbane-based artist Michael Zavros was announced the winner of the $30,000 coveted national award for his work entitled Flora, beating 96 of his fellow finalists.
Joining an important list of prominent winners, starting with Margaret Olley in 1947, Zavros’s winning painting will be acquired for the prestigious Mosman Art Collection.
This year’s judge Susi Muddiman OAM, Director of the Tweed River Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre comments:
“Flora presents an intriguing portrait, as the young subject’s face is obscured by a decorative designer scarf, so masterfully rendered, lending the silk liquid qualities. For me, this work is imbued with so many more layers of meaning than portraiture alone. The spring bouquet motif on the Gucci scarf is a metaphor for Phoebe’s journey into puberty and her blossoming into a young woman. She is innocent, yet prepared and vulnerable yet fervent, and all the while her gaze, although obscured, is direct and confident. While her voice cannot be heard, Phoebe’s pose speaks volumes.”
Zavros’s work has been exhibited in major museums throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe. He received recognition for his talent early in his career when he was awarded the Museum of Contemporary Art Primavera Collex Award and has won distinguished prizes including the 2012 Bulgari Art Award from the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the 2010 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. Zavros has also been a multiple finalist in the Archibald.
Zavros has used his daughter Phoebe – now 11 years old – as a model in many of his artworks. Recently, he has been commissioned to paint portraits of Australian war hero Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith for the Australian War Memorial and former Governor-General Quentin Bryce for the National Portrait Gallery.
The following prizes, sponsored by Fourth Village Providore, were also awarded on the night:
Min-Woo Bang – $2,000 The Commendation Prize
Robyn Sweaney – $3,000 The Allan Gamble Memorial Art Prize
Moritaka Toko Suzuki – $2,000 Emerging Artists’ Prize (under 35 years)
Visitors to the exhibition can vote in the Viewer’s Choice Award.
A Public Program of Artist Talks will accompany the exhibition. Visit the gallery’s website for further details and bookings.
Mosman Art Gallery
Until 25 September, 2016
Sydney
