Callum covers up to win

A free local exhibition will showcase finalist works from established and emerging artists at Darlinghurst’s National Art School Gallery.

Among the 40 works on display from May 3 until July 1 is Callum Morton’s winning entrant Cover Up #1. The Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, now in its 13th year, awarded Mr Morton first prize, which fetched him $25,000.

“The nature of the prize invites 20 established artists into the show, they curate the show and those 20 artists then invite an emerging artist of their choice and they get to enter as well,” said Mr Morton.

Respected 1960s American painter William Dekooning was the inspiration behind Mr Morton’s work. The piece is a camouflaged painting which, on closer inspection, becomes a three-dimensional colour field that dips and rises.

“My work, from a distance, appears to be a covered painting, it looks like there is a grey cloth draped over the painting, but as you look at it up close you see it has decayed imprints and a very hard surface,” said Mr Morton.

The entries, which had no limitations on artistic mediums, will all also be available for purchase.

“There is a great local art scene already present in Darlinghurst, so the exhibition is in a fitting area, but it is also important on a national scale to set up a relationship between both younger and established artists,” said Mr Morton.

This year’s judging panel included former Director of the Art Gallery of NSW, Edmund Capon, and Curator at the National Art School Gallery, Katie Dyer. The event was curated by acclaimed contemporary Australian artist, Julie Rrap.

The Emerging Artist Award was given to Cigdem Aydemir, who constructed a video work titled Bombshell, exploring the idea of the Burqa as a possible terrorist threat. The work referenced Marylin Monroe’s famous dress scene in Seven Year Itch.

Principal of Redlands School, Dr Peter Lennox, said: “From humble beginnings in 1996, the Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize now attracts national and international interest. This year the work of the participating artists will be admired by more than 2000 visitors, which include many local art students.”