Viscopy member Betty Kuntiwa Pumani wins the 2017 Wynne Prize
August 1, 2017
Betty Kuntiwa Pumani from Mimili Maku Arts in Alice Springs has won the prestigious $50,000 Wynne Prize for her painting ‘Antara’ (pictured).
The Wynne Prize is Australia’s oldest art prize and is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. From 753 entries, 42 finalists were selected to this year’s prize, 17 of whom were Viscopy members (see the full list below).
The Archibald and Sulman Prizes also saw high representation from Viscopy members. Four of the 43 finalists selected for the Archibald and eight of the 19 finalists selected for the Sulman Prize were Viscopy members. The $40,000 Sulman was won by Joan Ross for ‘Oh history, you lied to me’.
The Archibald Prize went to Sydney artist Mitch Cairns for his painting of partner and artist Agatha Gothe-Snape. Jun Chen’s portrait of art dealer and critic Ray Hughes was also highly commended in this year’s prize. The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 29 July to 22 October.
Daughter of Eddie Mabo, artist Gail Mabo, wins Copyright Agency Innovation Award at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
The multi-disciplinary artist whose award included $10,000, reportedly showed great emotion accepting her prize for the creation of a work described as ‘at the most cutting edge of artistic achievement’.
Viscopy board member Leesa Watego, who presented the award, said “Our organisation represents the copyright interests of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island creators. We support the development of projects which benefit progressive and creative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and promote the creators, their works and achievements. We are proud to support this year’s Innovation Award and see it go to such an exemplary artist.”
Other Cairns Indigenous Art Fair award recipients were:
- Garry Namponan from Wik and Kugu Art Centre, winner of the Premier’s Award for Excellence
- Alison Murray from Girringun Art Centre, winner of the Emerging Artist Award
- Wik and Kugu Art Centre awarded Cairns Regional Council’s Art Centre Award
Good Country wins Tasmanian art award
South Australian Indigenous artist and Viscopy member, Peter Mungkuri, won the inaugural $100,000 Tasmanian Hadley’s Art Prize for his work titled, ‘Ngura Wiru (Good Country)’, which is a depiction of the artist’s birth place, Fregon in Central Australia. The exhibition is open until 25 August at Hadley’s Orient Hotel in Hobart.
Viscopy members were represented in the following art prizes:
Archibald finalists
Kim Leutwyler
Robert Hannaford
Tjungkara Ken – Tjala Arts
Vincent Namatjira – Iwantja Arts
Wynne finalists
Barbara Mbitjana Moore – Tjala arts
Beryl Jimmy – Tjungu Palya
Betty Kuntiwa Pumani – Mimili Maku Arts
Guan Wei
Mona Mitakiki, Naomi Kantjuriny – Tjala Arts
Mumu Mike Williams, Willy Muntjanti Martin, Sammy Dodd – Mimili Maku Arts
Neil Evans
Ngupulya Pumani – Mimili Maku Arts
Noel McKenna
Philip Wolfhagen
Ray Ken – Tjala Arts
Regina Pilawuk Wilson
Rowan Robertson
Salvatore Zofrea
Teresa Baker – Tjungu Palya Aboriginal Corporation
Wawiriya Burton – Tjala Arts
Yaritji Young
Sir John Sulman finalists
Abdul Abdullah
Angela Tiatia
David Frank – Iwantja Arts
Karen Black
Kim Leutwyler
Michelle Cawthorn
Nicola Smith
Philjames