Congratulations to Justine Varga who has won the 2019 Dobell Drawing Prize. The Sydney-born artist took out the $30,000 award with Photogenic drawing, 2018, a piece that blurs the boundaries between drawing and photography.
Now in its 21st iteration, the 2019 prize was judged by artist Ben Quilty.
In discussing Varga’s winning work Quilty said, “The winner of the Dobell Drawing Prize #21 uses drawing in the most meaningful and sophisticated way. Her work is a distillation of so many components of our collective lives. Drawing plays a pivotal role in this artist’s exploration of us all.”
Quilty also highly commended Tony Albert was for his drawing, Old Sins Cast Long Shadows, 2018. He said, “Highly commended goes to an artist who is relentlessly and skilfully re-writing dialogues about Australian histories. Drawing underpins his practice. Old Sins Cast Long Shadows uses the most simple drawing techniques to tell a formidably sophisticated story.”
The Dobell Drawing Prize #21 exhibition includes works by all 57 finalists and is on at the National Art School (NAS) Gallery until 25 May.
In conjunction with the prize, NAS is also hosting a broader drawing festival which includes a range of additional drawing exhibitions and a symposium.
The Dobell Drawing Prize and the Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial at the Art Gallery of New South Wales run in alternate years.
Dobell Drawing Prize #21
National Art School Gallery
28 March – 25 May
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