Art prize reveals the toxic side of Tasmania

Photos: Matthew Jensen: Isla MacGregor (centre) receives VAP 2015 – Main Cash Prize from Elizabeth O’Brien (VAP founder, left) and Michelle Calvert (LEAD Group VP, right).

From left, Mark Ju (Aged 9), Caitlin Ngo (Aged 8), Grace Lin (Age 8), Alice Ju (Creative Einstein teacher) and Elizabeth O’Brien

Isla MacGregor (centre) receives VAP 2015 – Main Cash Prize from Elizabeth O’Brien (VAP founder, left) and Michelle Calvert (LEAD Group VP, right).

Tasmanian Isla MacGregor won The LEAD Group’s 2015 Volcano Art Prize (VAP) last night, in an awards ceremony at the Ashfield Civic Centre in Sydney’s Inner-West.

The top judge-awarded prize went to MacGregor for her searing set of photographs, Entropy 1, depicting the dangers of lead from the Tasmanian west coast mining town of Zeehan.

On receiving her award Isla said: “Zeehan is an example of why Contaminated Sites Data Bases must be transparent and fully available online in all Australian jurisdictions.”

“Property buyers have a Right to Know if a property they want to purchase is in an area contaminated by lead or other toxic pollutants.”

The Volcano Art Prize was the only Australian event to mark the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 3rd International Lead Poisoning Awareness Week of Action – a week instigated by The LEAD Group.

VAP judge, artist Anne Roberts had a difficult task given the quality of artworks entered this year. The top 30 entries are printed on a Pictureproducts mug. Child entrants receive a VAP certificate.
The Lead Group