The winner of the Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize Professional Artist Prize was Joanna Braithwaite from Leichhardt in Sydney, for her work, Bold and the Beautiful. Joanna says it reflects the adage, ‘if you’ve got it flaunt it!’ and the Prize judges described it as a painting full of colour and humour.
The Emerging Artist Prize was won by Chris Casali from Earlwood in Sydney, for her work Mutawintji Dreaming.‘This is an intriguing, shimmering dreamscape — a complex work that conjures the space of the imagination,’ the judges said.
Now in its third year, the Prize attracted 1238 entries — 50% more than last year and 319 more than the Archibald Prize. The judges selected 116 finalists, comprising 58 professional artists and 58 emerging artists. A number of finalists were Indigenous women from the Central Desert Region and Western Australia. ‘It is so important for Australia to have a prominent art prize for women that amplifies the relevance and reality of careers in art for generations of Australian women to come,’ says Prize judge and Head of Visual Art at Ravenswood, Edwina Palmer.
The Prize is the largest and richest art prize for women in the country. The Professional Artist Prize is worth $35000 and the Emerging Artist Prize is valued at $5000.
