Gallipoli Art Prize Winner 2009
Today at Gallipoli Memorial Club in Sydney, it was announced that New Zealand born (Sydney based) artist Euan Macleod has won the $20,000 Gallipoli Art Prize for his painting titled Smoke/Pinklandscape/Shovel, from amongst 30 finalists whose works are also on display at the club.
Mcleod’s winning work is a poignant evocation of the muddy trenches of World War I, which conjures up the hardships endured by the diggers and sacrifice they displayed.
While being pleased with the high standard of this year’s entries, the judges (John McDonald, Jane Watters, Michael Gleeson White and Clive Curwood) were unanimous in their choice of Macleod’s painting. This year, as in previous years, many artists chose to depict soldiers and scenes of battle, by Macleod’s work succeeds by suggestion and understatement
, says McDonald. The shovel leaning against a wall of earth is a lonely, solitary symbol of the drudgery that accompanies the bloodshed and sorrow. Looking at this shovel standing alone, we become conscious of the absence of life. We think of the death toll at Gallipoli and the battlefields of Europe. We think of the sea of mud that opposing armies defended with their lives.
The prize (which is open to artists born in or citizens of Australia, New Zealand or Turkey) is intended as a commemoration of war rather than a celebration. It stands for certain values that are no less true and desirable in time of expression of confidence in the power of art to express those aspects of our history that have made us who we are today. Now In its fourth year the Gallipoli art prize continues to attract an ever-great number of entries, from a broad range of professional and amateur artists. It is to be hoped that his success encourages other New Zealand artists to participate.
For Macleod, who has made the habit of winning prizes in recent years including the 1999 Archibald prize, the work is closely related to the expressionist landscapes that he has painted in many parts of New Zealand. In these works a figure may appear as a ghostly silhouette or shadow. When there are no figures, human life may be signified by a small boat or some other object, as in the present painting.
The judges also commended works by Queanbeyan artist Margaret Hadfield, the winner of the inaugural Gallipoli Art Prize in 2006, and a dedicated contributor ever since and Hayden Wilson, an artist with a great sensitivity for history and tradition. One of the abiding aims of this competition is to put together a collection of works that relate to the creed of the club: those qualities of loyalty, respect, love of country and comradeship, for which we remember the heroes of the Gallipoli campaign and all those who have served and fought during the following century. This spirit extends to the Turkish soldiers who were the Anzacs’ opponents in 1915. The club sponsors a parallel version of this competition every year in Turkey, honoring the ties of friendship that now unite former adversaries.
Angela Claridge, one of the finalists in this year’s competition, painted an untitled work of her great grand father Alex Campbell (the last original Anzac remaining at the time of his passing in May 2002.) Australia held a one-minute silence to commemorate this important milestone. Angela, like her great-grand father, was born and bred in Tasmania.
The public is welcome to view the paintings from 9am to 4pm, Mon to Fri only, 27 April to 8 May at L2, 12 Loftus St, Sydney.
General enquiries
02 9235 1533 or e-mail john@gallipoli.com.au
Media Enquiries
Emma Collison Publicity, 02 9362 9700, 0418 584 795, emma@emmacollison.com