Winners announced for the 2016 Western Sydney University Sculpture Awards

Purdy 

Winner of the 2016 Acquisitive Sculpture Award: Michael Purdy for his work Monument to the long-term perils of short
term politics

A panel of judges have selected this year's winners of the 2016 Western Sydney University Sculpture Award and Exhibition, currently running at the Campbelltown Campus.

The Western Sydney University Acquisitive award, which is valued up to $30,000, was awarded to Michael Purdy for his work 'Monument to the long-term perils of short-term politics'. 

The Janice Reid Emerging Artist Award, which is valued at $5,000, went to Lisa Tolcher for her piece 'Melody of Equilibrium'.

Tolcher 

Winner of the Janice Reid Emerging Artist Award: Lisa Tolcher for her work Melody of Equilibrium.

Western Sydney University art curator, Monica McMahon says Michael Purdy's work aptly fits with this year's election, while Lisa Tolcher's piece is stunning in its simplicity.

"Michael Purdy's sculpture is a timely acquisition in light of the recent announcement of a federal election. His work is a commentary on the short-term nature of politics these days," says Ms McMahon.

"Lisa Tolcher's work on the other hand is an amazingly simple yet effective piece, with the nine red steel discs seemingly defying gravity along the edge of one of the pods."

The Exhibition is open to the community and runs until 5 June. 

Visitors are welcome to vote for their favourite sculpture as part of the UrbanGrowth People's Choice Award.  The winning artist will receive $5,000.

Ends

17 May 2016

Media Contact: Tanya Patterson


ARTIST BIOGRAPHY - Michael Purdy

Michael studied landscape architecture at UNSW and learnt to work with stone while creating sandstone-based landscapes around Sydney.

Though he has lived on the South Coast of NSW for ten years, his works are best known by regular visitors to Bondi's Sculpture by the Sea where he has exhibited eight times, winning four awards including People's Choice in 2005.

He was also a finalist in the 2014, UWS Sculpture Award and won the Urban Growth NSW Acquisition Prize in this exhibition.

Commissions include Frazer Motorcycles at Strathfield, Argyle Hotel at The Rocks and the Sydney Seafood School at the fish markets.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY - Lisa Tolcher

Emerging Sydney based artist, Lisa Tolcher is a recent Honours graduate from the National Art School in Darlinghurst.

A recipient of the Hills End Residency Program and the Gallery Lane Cove Residency Program, her work was recently featured in the Young Artists Initiative Prize at M Contemporary Gallery, Woollahra.

Lisa's work has been exhibited at Dominik Mersch Gallery, Factory 49, Gallery Lane Cove, Articulate Project Space, and the National Art School Gallery.

Ends 

13 April 2016

Tanya Patterson - Media Officer

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