Remagine Art Prize 2021 – Winners Announced!
Artists Nadine Schmoll, Melissa Harvey and Chrystal Rimmer have won the major prizes in this year’s Remagine Art Prize with a special Youth Award (16-18 years) going to talented North Wahroonga local Kiara Underwood.
Hosted by Hornsby Shire Council in partnership with the Hornsby Art Society, the annual Remagine Art Prize puts focus on sustainability and the environment by challenging artists to create works in response to the crisis we are all facing, with waste and over-consumption.
The theme for this year’s art prize was ’Fast fashion, fast food, fast running out of natural resources’.
Queensland-based artist Nadine Schmoll won the Digital Art – Stills category and $3,000 in prize money for her work titled Interconnected (Self Portrait as Coral).
“Interconnected (Self Portrait as Coral) is a photographic self-portrait that sheds light on the interrelationships between the natural marine environment and humans, in the context of the global impacts of climate change and plastic pollution,” explained Nadine.
Sydney-based artist Melissa Harvey won the Painting, Drawing and Printmaking category and $3000, for her work titled Unravelled/Untold.
“Unravelled, Untold is made from recycled cotton pulp, sourced from discarded clothing and donated domestic cloth from my local community,” Melissa said
Reusing and repurposing cloth started early for me on a large remote dairy farm on the Far North Coast, NSW. Through isolation came resourcefulness”.
Sydney-based artist Chrystal Rimmer took out the Mixed Media 3D and Mixed Media 2D category and $3,000, with her work titled Infinity, Infinity, Infinity.
“Made from 1,023 plastic bags, Infinity, Infinity, Infinity came together during the height of the pandemic and in the aftermath of the devastating 2019-2020 bush fires,” Chrystal said
I find peace knowing my existence is but a fleeting moment on an infinite timeline. This sentiment is embodied by fungi, generating new life from decay.”
Local North Wahroonga resident Kiara Underwood won the Youth Award (16-18 years) and $600 in prize money for her painting Draining our Earth.
“2,700 litres of water are used to make just one cotton T-Shirt, enough for a person to drink for two-and-a-half years. One load of washing uses 150 litres of water,” Kiara said.
“My artwork depicts a bone-dry landscape with the last remaining water in a small dam. The water is being pumped from the dam to the foreground where a subject drowns in the rapidly rising water.
“This shows the immense volume of water taken away from the environment and used by the fashion industry.
“The three subjects in my painting, all wearing cotton T-shirts, portray the struggle that this water use brings, to the farmers, animals and environment and show the consequences we will all feel if we continue to carelessly use water as if it’s an infinite, inexhaustible resource.”
Hornsby Shire Mayor, Philip Ruddock said: “I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists for their inspiring and thought-provoking artworks, and their passion for sustainability and the environment.”
This year’s judges were Laura Jones, Zora Regulic and Tony McDonald.
The Remagine Art Prize 2021 finalist exhibition is on at Wallarobba Arts and Cultural Centre, 25 Edgeworth David Avenue, Hornsby, until 20 June 2021, Tuesday – Sunday, 10am-4pm.
For more information go to https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/remagine
Image top: Chrystal Rimmer – Infinity, Infinity, Infinity
Image bottom left: Nadine Schmoll – Interconnected
Image botton right: Melissa Harvey – Unravelled, Untold
