Lisa Garland, Musician, Fisherman, Aboriginal, Fred and Thylacine Hunter, 2012, silver gelatin print, Tidal 2012 Judges Commendation
13 December – 1 February 2015
Exhibition Opening Friday 12 December, 7 pm
Devonport Regional Gallery presents Tidal: City of Devonport Art Award 2014 from 13 December – 1 February, 2015. Opening on Friday 12 December at 7 pm the exhibition features the work of the 27 finalists who were announced in September. The $15,000 National Award recipient will be announced at the opening with the $1,000 People’s Choice Award to be announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.
Tidal: City of Devonport Art Award also known as Tidal was launched in 2004. The national biennial Award was initiated by then director Jane Stewart and the Special Committee of the Devonport Regional Gallery. In 2010 the Major Award was made acquisitive and prize money rose from $10,000 to $15,000. This was made possible by the hard work and support of the Gallery’s Friends Committee who raised the extra $5,000. Tidal is now recognised as a significant national award – not for the prize money alone, but because the issues surrounding our seas and coastlines are global.
Tidal attracts artists from across Australia at various stages in their careers. Previous major award recipients have included Patrick Pound, Neil Haddon, Marian Drew, Matthew Newton and Paul Snell. The Award provides a contemporary platform for artists to reflect upon the myriad perspectives and challenges inherent within the interconnections of land and sea while also encouraging excellence in conception, innovation and execution. These challenges may be personal or political, natural or cultural and therefore interpretations of the theme can vary considerably within a contemporary art context.
The Peoples’ Choice Award
The $1,000 Peoples’ Choice Award is sponsored by Collins Real Estate, Devonport. The Peoples’ Choice award is a non-acquisitive award selected by the viewers of Tidal and announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.
The Tidal Festival
The Devonport Regional Gallery hosts a ‘mini festival’ over the summer holidays to celebrate Tidal. The program includes musical events and workshops, outdoor art workshops, and an evening forum with guest speakers. These programs continue to grow and contribute to greater
community engagement and knowledge about our environment. Program details will be released in early December.
The Judges
The judging panel for Tidal 2014 consists of two nationally recognised art experts, Erica Green, Director, Anne & Gordon Samstag Museum of Art, University of South Australia and Sean Kelly, Arts Coordinator, Moonah Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania who selected the 27 finalist’s works from 260 entries.
“Celebrating works of art that reflect on the sea and coastal regions, the Tidal Art Prize provides a valued opportunity for artists to make works of art that contribute to our understanding and appreciation of this most precious resource.” Erica Green
“The range of genres, media, in the entries to ‘Tidal’ 2014 was impressive indeed. The high number of artists from Tasmania proves that the standard of work in this State is very high and new artists of real quality emerge every time ‘Tidal’ comes around. This of course makes the judges’ job fascinating and almost impossible at the same time”. Sean Kelly
2014 Tidal Finalists Announced
Diane Allison, Tok Basuki, Michael Brennan, Tim Burns, Matt Calvert, Gabrielle Courtenay,
Joel Crosswell, Angeleca Daniel, Amanda Davies, Isaac Fergusson, James Geurts, Janet Green, David Hawley, Petrina Hicks, Liam James, Kim Lehman, Sara Maher, Michael Muruste, Matthew Newton, Sarah Rhodes, Cath Robinson, Troy Ruffels, Melissa Smith, Paul Snell, Fiona Tabart, LeAnne Vincent, Catherine Woo.
Anne Morrison, Nest, 2012, acrylic and water colour on paper, Tidal 2012 Peoples’ Choice Recipient
Ellie Ray, Director, Tracy Broomhall, Gallery Administration Officer
