Erin Dunne wins Bayton Award 2019
Artist Erin Dunne has been awarded The Bayton Award 2019 for her work Songs of Suburbia and Subtropical Poems, a panoptic or ‘whole of scene’ visual narrative drawing that captures life’s moments encountered in the Rockhampton region.
The work brings together the humorous, surreal, strange, and emblematic into one 3m x 3m drawing.
Erin Dunne’s work was chosen from a field of 25 finalists out of a total of 54 entries and announced at Rockhampton Art Gallery on Saturday 22 June, 2019.
Winning The Bayton Award 2019 adds to Dunne’s growing recognition and artistic practice. It comes after a stellar 12 months which has included:
- Winner, Holding Redlich Art For Life $10 000 Award, Queensland Regional Art Awards, Flying Arts Alliance, Brisbane
- Overall Award Winner, CQU Creates, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton
- Highly Commended, works on paper, Blackwater SHS Art Prize, Blackwater
- Finalist, Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award finalist, Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton
- Exhibited in Utopia Tropicae: The Spirit of the North, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville
- Finalist, Marie Ellis OAM Drawing Prize, Project Gallery, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane
- Finalist, Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Art Gallery, Noosa
- Finalist, Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Awards, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum
- Solo exhibition House, Rockhampton Art Gallery, Rockhampton
Hosted by Rockhampton Art Gallery, The Bayton Award is an initiative of the Rockhampton Art Gallery Philanthropy Board and Rockhampton Regional Council. Valued at $17,000 of cash and prizes, The Bayton Award is open to artists of the Central Queensland region.
Judged by the Rockhampton Art Gallery Philanthropy Board and Rockhampton Art Gallery Director, The Bayton Award celebrates the diversity and excitement of visual arts in Central Queensland.
Chair of the Rockhampton Art Gallery Philanthropy Board, Dr Leonie Gray said while the field of 25 finalists are of a very competitive due to the high calibre of the finalists’ artwork.
The decision was deeply considered and assess the finalist artwork again an industry criteria of quality, reach and impact, and for all of these criteria their delivery to regional community, arts industry and artistic practice were assessed. The decision was closely considered between two finalists, but after deliberation and extensive assessment that engaged an additional external industry representative, the winning artist was Erin Dunne with Songs of Suburbia and Subtropical Poems 2019.
“The work takes the form of a narrative visual story that captures quintessentially Queensland characteristics. Throughout the narrative the picture plain the perspective shifts from fisheye to wide-angle distorting the view and highlighting particular features like a green tree from and a rolled up The Morning Bulletin,” Dr Gray said.
“While Rockhampton Art Gallery is well regarded as a significant collector of contemporary paintings we are also deeply committed to representing artists living within the Central Queensland region. This work will be acquired in to Rockhampton Art Gallery collection, capturing both a moment in time for Central Queensland and in Erin Dunne’s artistic practice.”
Chair of Rockhampton Regional Council’s Community Services Committee, Councillor Rose Swadling congratulated Erin Dunne, saying the Award brought together an exciting cross section of current art practice from throughout Central Queensland.
“The Bayton Award is a particularly effective vehicle for demonstrating the depth of artistic talent residing within our Central Queensland communities,” Councillor Swadling said.
“The finalists of this year’s Bayton Award have beautifully captured and skilfully reflected the broad spread of diversity within our creatively thriving region.”
“The award has evolved since its inception in 2012 as an initiative of the Rockhampton Art Gallery Trust. It is now a much sought after art competition, with increasing numbers of Central Queensland artists submitting works. With the increase in interest comes an increase in significance of the award and also in the depth of work entered. This time 54 entries were received with 25 selected as finalists,” Cr Swadling said.
Visitors can also have their say in the People’s Choice Award and go in to the draw to win $500. The winner of the People’s Choice will be announced on Monday 5 August and the winning artist will receive $1000.
The exhibition of all artwork by the 24 finalists will be displayed at Rockhampton Art Gallery, 62 Victoria Parade from 22 June 2019 – 4 August 2019
Rockhampton Art Gallery is owned and operated by Rockhampton Regional Council.
