The first ever winner of the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery’s STILL: National Still Life Award is Sydney-based artist Sarah Goffman.
Her work ‘Asian Table’ is a reproduction of ancient Chinese ceramics, but created from intricately-painted, recycled plastic.
“I am overwhelmed and so grateful to win this award,” said Ms Goffman. “Art prizes present a conundrum. I have mixed feelings, if only every artist in this exhibition could be awarded $20,000. It’s brave to make art, we make ourselves vulnerable and we’re not always rewarded for it.”
There were a total of 605 entries for the Award, which is open to all forms of artworks.
The judge of the biennial prize – Lisa Slade, Assistant Director, Artistic Programmes, Art Gallery of South Australia – described STILL as ‘a game changer’.
“STILL has placed the still life genre at the heart of contemporary art practice. There is a real sense that something new is happening here,” she said.
She awarded five commendations to Tiffany Cole, Sarah Edmondson, Guy Gilmour, Sam Leach and Prue Venables.
The People’s Choice Award of $5000 was shared by Coffs Harbour artist Ben Fayle for his work ‘Rose Coloured Glasses No.2’ and Sydney photographer Greg Weight’s ‘Bohemian Table’.
The exhibition at the Regional Gallery features the work of 63 finalists from all states and the ACT. It includes painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, ceramics, glass, sculpture, video, printmaking and textiles.
STILL: National Still Life Award is supported by Mercedes Benz Coffs Coast as Major Sponsor and Slater & Gordon, Saso Creative and Moving Art as Supporting Sponsors.
The exhibition is open at the Gallery on the corner of Coff and Duke Streets until 20 January 2018.
STILL Winner Sarah Goffman with her work ‘Asian Table’
