Woollahra Council has proudly announced the finalists for the 23rd Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Australia’s most prestigious award for small-scale sculpture.
This year’s finalists, representing a rich tapestry of artistic innovation and hailing from every Australian state and territory as well as overseas, will be on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf, in a free exhibition, running from 13 September 2024.
From a pool of 751 entries, 59 exceptional works have been selected by a distinguished judging panel comprising Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Museum of Old and New Art, Jarrod Rawlins, Executive Director of Arts Project Australia, Liz Nowell, and Art Gallery of New South Wales Curator, First Nations Art, Erin Vink.
Sculptures shortlisted in 2024 span a variety of mediums, including clay, silk, porcelain, glass, ceramic, wood, silicone and more, with works that delve into themes of dystopian futures, authoritarianism and the aesthetics of power, bodily memory, disability pride, folklore, fantasy, kin, cultural inheritance, and the intersection of tradition and modernity.
Using diverse mediums to provoke thought and engage with contemporary issues and experiences, this year’s works reflect personal and collective narratives, materiality, and the human condition.
“Each year, the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize boasts a cornucopia of creative approaches to materiality and form whilst capturing the pulse of contemporary issues, interests and trends,” said Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf Director,
Pippa Mott.
“Glass is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, emerging as a counterpart to ceramic; found materials complement industrial and artisanal craftsmanship; and a swell of absurdity co-exists with analytical and formalist approaches. In these troubled times, a number of works evoke protection – both structural and spiritual – whilst others embody community, culture, or nostalgia,” said Mott.
“It is our great privilege to host Australia’s pre-eminent award for small sculpture at our Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf,” says Woollahra Mayor, Councillor Richard Shields. “It’s always an absolute pleasure to engage with all of the finalists’ works and see the incredible diversity of ideas on show. We look forward to sharing them with our community and visitors at this year’s exhibition.”
Reflecting on the selection process this year and the breadth of finalists selected, the 2024 judging panel provided these insights:
“For this year’s Small Sculpture Prize, we noticed that the artistic cohort shared interests in the experimentation of mediums; there were nods to retro futuristic technology and aesthetics, and a shared consciousness around the perilous state of the world and what it means to make sculpture right now. There were also energetic, jovial works that reflect the joy of making,” said Art Gallery of New South Wales Curator, First Nations Art, Erin Vink.
“The chosen works represent a diverse range of materials and conceptual approaches, reflecting the breadth of contemporary sculptural practice. Each work stands out not only for its artistic merit but also for its ability to inspire contemplation, present new ideas and engage viewers,” said Executive Director of Arts Project Australia, Liz Nowell.
“The vast number of entries that we reviewed were intriguing and it was a very enjoyable process. Congratulations to everyone who entered. The WSSP has a special place in the history of Australian sculpture and we are very much looking forward to the final stage of assessing the winners in September,” said Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Museum of Old and New Art, Jarrod Rawlins.
An exhibition of the 2024 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize Finalists will be on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf from 13 September – 20 October. The winning sculpture will be announced at the opening event on Thursday 12 September. For more information, visit: www.woollahragallery.com.au for details.
Image: Ben Young, Verge, 2024 (supplied)