15 May 2014
UniSA graduate Zoe Kirkwood has won a prestigious art prize worth $35,000 after being selected to exhibit at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) Hatched 2014 National Graduate Show.
Zoe, who studied a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) at the University, won the 2014 Doctor Harold Schenberg Art Prize which is awarded annually to one outstanding Hatched artist to further invest in their career.
She won the award for her large-scale installation The Neo-Baroque Spectacle.
“Winning the award was a complete surprise,” Zoe said. “It was an honour to be selected as one of the 34 graduates chosen from across the country to exhibit, so to win this award was amazing.
“The Neo-Baroque Spectacle is based on ideas of contemporary excess and uses the baroque as a framework to explore these. The installation draws, in particular, on the notion of the bel composto from the 17th century baroque spectacle in which painting, sculpture and architecture were unified.
“This award will help me to invest in my practice. I have some exhibitions coming up, but after those I would like to travel to some Baroque sites, in particular to see the work of Baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and to extend some ideas of kinetic elements in painting.”
UniSA Program Director of Visual Arts (Honours), Olga Sankey, said the University was delighted for Zoe.
“On behalf of the University, I congratulate Zoe on this remarkable achievement,” she said. “Zoe has just graduated with first class Honours in Visual Arts and has already accumulated a swathe of awards.
“At the end of 2013, she received the Association of Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies Prize for her work in the Visual Arts Graduate student exhibition at UniSA.
“In late February by Zoe won three prizes at the Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition 2014, which featured work by selected students from the three Visual Arts degree providers in Adelaide.
“To win the Doctor Harold Schenberg Art Prize at Hatched is yet another remarkable accolade and Zoe should be proud of what she has achieved; I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this talented artist.”
The Doctor Harold Schenberg art prize is named after a respected a respected Western Australian dermatologist, renowned art collector and passionate art benefactor. Dr Harold Schenberg’s donation to The University of Western Australia included the establishment of a $35,000 arts prize to promote and assist up-and-coming artists.
The 2014 Doctor Harold Schenberg Art Prize Judges: Amy Barrett-Lennard, Director, PICA; David Broker, Director, Canberra Contemporary Art Space; and Ted Snell, Director, UWA Cultural Precinct, said they were drawn to Zoe’s work for its ambition, as well as its innovative approach to painting and its humorous play with the history of art.
“The work was particularly distinctive and individual with a complex mix of materials and artistic approaches. We can't wait to see what this artist will do next,” they commented.
Zoe has two exhibitions in Adelaide next month, from June 4 at FELTspace and June 5 at Hugo Michell Gallery.
Media Contact
Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au
