AWARDS

Strand Ephemera, the North’s Sculpture Festival, was officially launched in spectacular fashion at the Rock Pool on Saturday 1 August, and the moment everyone was waiting for was the announcement of the 2015 winner of the $10,000 Award for Artistic Excellence.

This year’s Strand Ephemera judge was John Walsh, Gallery Manager at the Gold Coast City Gallery. John Walsh has worked in the public gallery sector since the 1980s with his first appointment being at the National Gallery of Australia in the Australian Art Department. Since 1996 he has been Gallery Manager of Gold Coast City Gallery, while he has also held numerous industry related positions including the inaugural Chair of Museum and Gallery Services.

Since 1996 he has have been instrumental in the development of the Evandale Sculpture Walk, taking it from a modest collection of 4 to now boast over 30 outdoor sculptures. With this wealth of knowledge, Walsh still found it extremely difficult to select just one work from a field of so many strong contenders.

“The consistent quality of works in Strand Ephemera made the judging process a challenging but very rewarding experience. I was delighted to encounter such a diverse range of approaches to sculpture from fun frivolous forms to serious political statements – all equally engaging,” Walsh explained.

Ultimately, a winner was chosen, with Greg O’Shea, Manager of Strand Ephemera’s major sponsor Glencore’s Port Operations, announcing Townsville artist Alison McDonald’s artwork Shimmer as the 2015 winner to an excited crowd.

Providing some insight into his selection, Walsh said, “Alison McDonald’s work Shimmer is a simple concept that is realised with poetic elegance. It is an intervention on the site that adds a level of engagement and interaction that is constantly changing according to its surroundings. Wind, light and the colours of the landscape all play a part to produce a sculpture that resonates. Its subtle song is one that suits its ultimate beauty.”

The viewing public also had their say on the best work. In a close result, the family-favourite installation, The Grand Annual Winter Tour to Anywhere, was crowned the winner of the wilson/ryan/grose lawyers’ People’s Choice Award. The Grand Annual Winter Tour to Anywhere took 14% of the 632 votes registered.

The work was created by students and teachers from St Anthony’s Catholic College, Northern Beaches State High School, and St Patrick’s College who worked with artist and facilitator Ben Trupperbäumer, a noted north Queensland sculptor. The whimsical work depicted our highways during the annual winter pilgrimage when caravans dominate transport routes.