Sasha Grbich’s winning work, Bat Alphabet 40°, was awarded for ‘it’s extraordinary observation, insight and innovation’.
“This is a work that translated the tragic death of a colony of grey-headed flying foxes during a heat wave in Adelaide into a form of notation. This strange record of climate change can be read in various ways. As musical notation, as sign language, or as spoken word,” said Joyce Hinterding, award judge and Senior Lecturer, Sydney College of the Arts.
Sasha Grbich works responsively with places and communities. An avid collector, including found footage, sounds and stories, Grbich is fascinated by the way art takes part in the politics of everyday life. She approaches artworks as ecologies – unfinished events that perform with audience and in local environments.
This $20,000 award is made possible thanks to a donation by the late David Harold Tribe who initiated an awards program with the University of Sydney in 2005. His legacy includes awards in the fields of symphony, philosophy, poetry, fiction, and of course, sculpture.
Taking place every five years at Sydney College of the Arts, the David Harold Tribe Sculpture Award encourages interest and excellence in sculpture. With a broad-ranging interest in the arts, Tribe once said he selected the categories because he felt certain areas of the arts were not being equally supported through awards.
“I wanted to foster excellence in artistic fields that have hitherto been neglected, to support creative individuals who wouldn’t normally get a sum like that.”
The 2022 judging panel included Joyce Hinterding (Senior Lecturer, Visual Art, Sydney College of the Arts); Dr Ann Elias (Professor of Art History and Visual Culture, University of Sydney); Dr Biljana Jancic (Artist); and Neha Kale (Writer and Critic).
All finalists’ works are displayed at SCA Gallery alongside the recipient: Sarah Contos, Allegra Holmes, Sarah Mosca, Kenzee Patterson, Robert Pulie, Shireen Taweel and Brendan Van Hek.
The David Harold Tribe Sculpture Award exhibition continues at SCA Gallery until Saturday 25 June 2022.
Exhibition Details
Thursday 19 May – Saturday 25 June 2022
Monday-Friday: 11am-5pm
Saturday: 12-4pm
SCA Gallery, Old Teachers’ College, Manning Road, The University of Sydney
