The Glover Prize volunteer hangers faced a daunting task of choosing their honorary winner on Wednesday.
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The prestigious award encompasses a diverse range of artworks falling under the theme of Tasmanian landscape.
Prize volunteer hanger Patrick Sutczak said the group of five hangers all had very different opinions on the eclectic array of works, which made for an interesting debate.
However, by mid-afternoon they settled on a winner of the 2018 Hangers’ Choice Award as they prepared the works at Falls Pavilion in Evandale.
Tasmanian artist Kylie Elkington’s Correa Alba (White Correa) caught the eyes of each of the volunteers.
“After a bit of deliberation and debate, we settled on [Elkington’s work] because we felt it was an interesting take on the landscape,” Sutczak said.
Elkington looked primarily at a microcosm by exploring a small coastal shrub rather than a grand vista, he said.
“Someone remarked that it’s quite calming.”
It was always exciting stepping into the pavilion ready to hang the works, Sutczak said.
“Every single year we always debate and there’s always a bit of disagreement and discussion about what we have chosen.
“In the past, we’ve always, as a group, leaned towards a more traditional landscape. I think it comes down more to skills and execution that we as a group feel is worthy.”
Elkington, in her artist statement, said the painting was part of a long series focusing in “the minutiae of landscape, but also to exercise liberties which shift the focus from scientific documentation to a more poetic and nuanced depiction of a small section of earth and what it sustains”.
The hardy coastal plant, which thrived in Tasmania, was named after a Portuguese botanist, which revealed the many complexities of Australia’s multicultural history, she said.
“[It] prompts us to reflect on the wisdom of the changes which have been made to the ‘native’ landscape since European presence.”
The Glover Prize winner will be announced on Friday before the exhibition of the finalists is opened to the public on Saturday.
Tess Brunton
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
