Winners of Australia’s most significant thematic Christian art prize were last month announced at the Holmes à Court Gallery in West Perth.
The Award has attracted some of the nation’s finest artists since it was first established in 1985.
In a statement released announcing the winners, the Mandora Art Award Committee said the sheer span of mediums and artistic approaches covered in the 2024 Mandorla Art Award makes this an exciting year indeed.
“Our artists this year are a fantastically varied and dynamic bunch and I feel very lucky, as the recently appointed curator, to get to work with the 2024 finalists and to learn more about their practices,” the statement read.
“Some are well-established, with national profiles and careers spanning decades. Others are in the early stages of their creative journey, still figuring out who they are as artists and experimenting with their approach to artmaking. There are also artistic collaborations included in the finalists, so while there are 41 works, we have 43 artists represented in this exhibition, across five states.
The winner of the 2024 Mandorla Art Award Prize was Sarah Elson, with her piece, 390 Acts of Love
Other winners included
- Bernard Appassamy, The Twelve Napkins winner of the Highly Commended Catholic Archdiocese Prize: $5,000
- Kathy Ramsay, My Father’s Country – Warlawoon (Bedford Downs) winner of the Highly Commended Anglican Diocese Prize: $5,000,
- Helen Seiver, who was selected for the New Norcia Artist Residency Prize.
This year the judging panel included Hannah Mathews, CEO & Director of Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Richard Lewer, Naarm/Melbourne-based artist, and Dr Rev Raewynne Whiteley, theologian and celebrated author.
The judges commented on the high quality of the artwork this year and the exhibition’s strength, and they wish to congratulate all finalists.
In their commentary, the judges said they found Sarah Elson’s winning work 390 Acts of Love spoke clearly to the 2024 theme, Refocus: ‘Let all that you do be done in love’.
“The work’s intricacy and complexity evokes a sense of care, consideration and curiosity – reflecting the idea that love is seen not so much in grand gestures but in tiny acts. Its form suggests worlds within worlds, stories within stories, and its autobiographical nature speaks to the importance of family, connection and commitment,” the judges said.
Special commendations went to Tessa MacKay, and her piece Love Thy Neighbour and Roderick Sprigg, Do you love me, do you love me, do you like me?
All works in the Mandorla Art Award are for sale via QR codes in the gallery and on the website.