Finalists announced for the churchie emerging art prize 2022

12 emerging Australian artists selected for exhibition in lead-up to major prize announcement.

Words: Charlotte Middleton

The churchie emerging art prize and the Institute of Modern Art have this week announced the 2022 finalists for the annual country-wide prize for emerging artists working in any visual art medium.

From the more than 400 entries received from across Australia, the 12 finalists selected by the pre-selection panel are: Darcey Bella Arnold, Emma Buswell, Jo Chew, Kevin Diallo, Norton Fredericks, Jan Griffiths, Jacquie Meng, Daniel Sherington, Linda Sok, Lillian Whitaker, Agus Wijaya, and Emmaline Zanelli.

This year’s finalists represent a broad cross-section of artistic concerns, with mediums spanning painting, textiles, video, drawing, installation, and more.

Emerging Sri Lankan-Australian curator, art historian and guest exhibition curator Elena Dias-Jayasinha commented: “The calibre of the applications this year was incredibly high. It was difficult selecting only 12 finalists, but I am thrilled by the artists chosen and look forward to working with them.”

The preselection panel consisted of Dias-Jayasinha; Sophia Nampitjinpa Sambono, Associate Curator, Indigenous Australian Art, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art; ‘the churchie’ Coordinator Sarah Thomson; and ‘the churchie’ Committee member Ben Hugheston-Roberts.

The finalists’ work will be shown at the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane from 30 July–1 October 2022, in an exhibition widely recognised for identifying and profiling emerging artists on a national stage within a high-quality curated exhibition.

With a prize pool of $25,000, the churchie Major Prize Winner will receive a non-acquisitive $15,000 cash prize (donated by long-standing sponsor BSPN Architecture), selected by guest judge Sebastian Goldspink and announced at the gallery on Friday 2 September.

Goldspink will also award a $5,000 Special Commendation prize (sponsored by Fardoulys Constructions) and two Commendation prizes of $1,000 (sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services).

A People’s Choice Award of $3,000, (also sponsored by Madison Cleaning Services) will be announced at the conclusion of the finalists’ exhibition, and one lucky voter will receive a night away thanks to Spicers Retreats.

Finalists’ Exhibition:

30 July–1 October 2022
Institute of Modern Art

Prize Announcement:

2 September 2022
Institute of Modern Art

Find out more at churchieemergingart.com and ima.org.au.

This article was posted 11 May 2022.

Image: Darcey Bella Arnold, Yellow Red, 2022, acrylic on cotton duck.

Thumbnail image: Daniel Sherington, untitled (bullshit landscape painting construct), 2022. UV inkjet print on perforated vinyl stretched, polycarbonate sheeting, recycled concrete plinth.

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