2020 winner: Richard Lewer for his artwork 2020.

Judge’s comments

Lesley Harding, Artistic Director, Heide Museum of Modern Art

This year’s Paul Guest Prize exhibition takes an expansive view of drawing, with embroidered textiles and text-based works on display alongside those that use the less conventional mediums of sediment or clay and digital technology. The mood is equally wide ranging: Rosslynd Piggott’s Cluster Garden/Fracture and David Sequeira’s Song Cycle tap into a quieter, melodic or poetic sensibility while James Guert’s Trajectories V: Carbon Marks is set at a higher pitch, a cerebral drawing that yet seems to vibrate with the discordant screech of the scanner used to abstract the original image. There are works of wit and irony, of levity and bravery, and many that reveal exceptional skill.

The winning drawing, Richard Lewer’s 2020, is a reflective work that speaks of our shared condition and serves both as a snapshot and a summary of the year’s redirection. At the same time, it invites us to think about what is hidden or yet to come in the aftermath of the pandemic. The masked figures are silenced, motionless and yet simmering with a palpable anxiety that is intensified by the field of thousands of lines that give the picture its dissident energy. This is a powerful drawing loaded with portent and very much of its times; part observation and large part pithy and incisive social commentary.

Patron’s comments

The Honourable Paul M Guest OAM QC

It has been a very tough year for the Bendigo Art Gallery arising from the situation imposed by the Covid-19 restrictions. With this said, I would firstly like to extend my sincere and over-all gratitude to the Gallery for all that it has done though such testing times in facilitating this Drawing Prize. In particular I extend to the Director, Jessica Bridgfoot, and the Curator, Emma Busowsky Cox, my appreciation for their continued support and vision despite the difficulties brought about by the Pandemic.

The task that confronted Lesley Harding, the Judge of this year’s prize, was indeed a daunting one, both in the selection of the finalists and the overall winner. My respect for her professional excellence and expertise in selecting the finalists and the winner of the Drawing Prize is without limit. In my view, we were very fortunate indeed in having her undertake such an onerous burden in such testing times.

I extend to the winner, Richard Lewer, my heartiest congratulations. I am personally aware of his outstanding reputation and, if I may be bold enough to say, his drawing is remarkable, topical and pre-eminent. I have had the undoubted advantage of personally viewing the exhibition at the Gallery and can say with absolute candor that its selection has emerged from a prestigious and stellar field of finalists. I extend to Richard my heartiest congratulations and wish him all the best for the future.
 

Artist statement

Richard Lewer 

Drawing is the foundation of my art practice, I appreciate that it is immediate, unpretentious and uncomplicated. From a personal point of view, drawing plays a fundamental role in my wellbeing, it is where I go to escape when I need to deal with my demons, it is the best way I know to become healthy.

2020 has been a year none of us will forget. This drawing was made as a response to the Black Summer bushfires. There were so many horrific images in the media depicting the personal, community and environmental losses you couldn’t help but be impacted by the enormity even safely far away in the city. I felt the need to visit some of these communities in East Gippsland, Victoria in the aftermath of the fires to grasp the sobering reality of confronting disaster and loss. This drawing depicts people in an urban setting wearing face masks, cities beset by smoke pollution and ash, soon to be plagued by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Artwork:
Richard Lewer
2020 2020
charcoal on museum rag board 
100 x 150cm
Courtesy of the artist and sullivan+strumpf, Sydney

2020 finalists (in alphabetical order):

Zoe Amor
Mary Barton
Belle Bassin
Adam Boyd
Matthew Clarke
Steve Cox
Leo Coyte
Sam Cranstoun
Adam Cusack
Julia Davis + Lisa Jones 
Mark Dober
Stephen Eastaugh
Craig Easton
Carolyn Eskdale
James Geurts
Minna Gilligan
Deanne Gilson
Richard Grigg
James Hale
Alex Hamilton
Euan Heng
Mark Hislop
Laura E Kennedy
Elliott Kuhlmann
Adam Lee
Richard Lewer
Roman Longginou
Sue Lovegrove
Simon MacEwan
Jordan Marani
Lily Mae Martin
Alasdair McLuckie
Betty Muffler
Nicole O’Loughlin
David Palliser
Rosslynd Piggott
Pip Ryan
Natalie Ryan
David Sequeira
Vivian Cooper Smith
Tiger Yaltangki
Heidi Yardley

2018 winner: Laith McGregor for his artwork. This Old Island 2018.

This is an enigmatic work – simply pencil on paper. At a distance you see two eyes and a nose in a gigantic face that dominates the image. But as you get closer a Pacific Island scene appears. A man with net, huts, palm trees and mountains.  The face disappears altogether – it is not overlaid on the drawing at all but it is formed by the blank unworked areas.  It is not there, but always there.
Roger Butler, National Gallery of Australia

Artwork:
Laith McGregor
This Old Island 2018
pencil on paper
198x153cm
Courtesy the artist and Station Gallery

2018 finalists (in alphabetical order):
• Badra Aji
• Kim Anderson
• Oliver Ashworth-Martin
• Carole Bann
• Martin Bell
• Natasha Ber
• James Bonnici
• Fran Callen
• Carolyn Craig
• Greg Creek
• Adam Cusack
• Dagmar Cyrulla
• Graeme Drendel
• Chonggang Du
• Philip Faulks
• Todd Fuller
• Piero Clemente Garreffa
• Helen Goninon
• Peter Grziwotz
• Pei Pei He
• Bevan Honey
• Amber-Rose Hulme
• Alun Rhys Jones
• Paul Kalemba
• Martin KingBarbie Kjar
• Deborah Klein
• Guundie Kuchling
• Max Linegar
• Alanna Lorenzon
• Jennifer Marshall
• Terry Matassoni
• Laith Mcgregor
• Linda Mclean
• Mali Moir
• Nick Mourtzakis
• Reena Naidu
• Khue Nguyen
• Ian Paradine
• Anna Louise Richardson
• Kaye Shumack
• Andrew Southall
• Wensi Sun
• Ross Taylor
• Jason Waterhouse
• Paul White
• Guy James Whitworth
• Helen Wright
• Tiger Yaltangki
• Jodie Zutt

Paul Guest Drawing Prize 2016 winner: Peter Grziwotz for his art work, Study as St Jerome for a self-portrait 2016.

‘From a most impressive and varied field of exquisite drawings by artists of accomplishment both young and older, the Paul Guest Drawing Prize for 2016 is being awarded to Peter Grziwotz for the work Study as St Jerome for a self-portrait.
This work manifests a high level of visual acuity but more significantly it is a work where the technique does not interfere with empathy for the subject. The drawing is intense with poignant, compassionate and enigmatic feeling.’
Godwin Bradbeer

Artwork:
Peter Grziwotz
Study as St Jerome for a self-portrait 2016
charcoal on paper
Image courtesy of the artist

2016 finalists (in alphabetical order):
• Kim Anderson
• Justin Andrews
• Mark Boey
• Melissa Boughey
• Anthony Breslin
• Adam Cusack
• Mark Dober
• Shay Downer
• Craig Easton
• Esther Erlich
• David Fairbairn
• Simon Finn
• Prudence Flint
• Louise Forthun
• Belinda Fox
• Todd Fuller
• Tarli Glover
• Erika Gofton
• Peter Grziwotz (winner)
• Robbie Harmsworth
• Pei Pei He
• Euan Heng
• Christine Hooper
• Baby Guerrilla
• Locust Jones
• Martin King
• Bruno Leti
• Lily Mae Martin
• Catherine O’Donnell
• Christopher Orchard
• Becc Ország
• Dan Price
• Claire Primrose
• Lyn Raymer
• Anna Louise Richardson
• Colin Rowe
• Kathryn Ryan
• Andrew Seward
• Andrew Southall
• Adriane Strampp
• Peter Thomas
• Chloe Vallance
• Brooke Walker
• Paul White
• Xiaoping Zhou

Paul Guest Drawing Prize 2014 winner: Heather B Swann for her artwork You are a Balloon 2014.

Heather B Swann’s You are a balloon is a powerful and intriguing drawing executed in the artist’s unique visual language. The work skilfully holds figuration and abstraction in careful balance; creating an almost palpable tension. Seemingly simple in execution, the drawing displays a real facility and assurance of line. On closer inspection the work’s witty juxtaposition of text and image reveals something much darker; creating both a space and mood that continues to sustain the viewer, encouraging one to return to the work time and again.
Kelly Gellatly

Artwork:
Heather Swann
You are a balloon 2014
ink and wash on paper
Courtesy of the artist and Karen Woodbury Gallery, Melbourne

2014 finalists (in alphabetical order):
• Craig Barrett
• Leonie Bell
• Fabrizio Biviano & Dean Thompson
• Wendy Black
• Nicholas Blowers
• Mark Boey
• Lynne Boyd
• Anthony Breslin
• Thom Buchanan
• Daniel Butterworth
• Adam Cusack
• Esther Erlich
• Jeff Faulkner
• Simon Finn
• Debra  Goldsmith
• Marie  Hagerty
• Robbie Harmsworth
• Pei Pei He
• Christine Healy
• Anna Hoyle
• Amber-Rose Hulme
• Jeremy Kibel
• Maria Kontis
• Christina Lau
• Bruno Leti
• Jeff Makin
• Aaron Martin
• Neil Matterson
• Jennifer Mills
• Mali Moir
• Joanne Morris
• Anna Richardson
• Joseph Rolella
• Leith Semmens
• Andrew Seward
• Jacqui Stockdale
• Adriane Strampp
• Heather Swann (winner)
• Kate Swinson
• Emma Theyers
• Dean Thompson
• Sarah Tomasetti
• Paul White
• Anastasia Wiltshire

Heather B Swann You are a Balloon 2014, ink and wash on paper. Courtesy of the artist and Karen Woodbury Gallery, Melbourne.

Paul Guest Drawing Prize 2012 Winner: Tom Nicholson for his artwork, Drawings and correspondence 4, 2011.

The enigmatic and powerful work Drawings and correspondence 4 from Tom Nicholson has won the Paul Guest Drawing Prize. Chosen out of a field of 45 artists drawn from over 310 admissions.
Judge Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator Prints & Drawings National Gallery of Victoria said of the work:
“Tom Nicholson’s drawing has great graphic power that speaks immediately to the viewer while referencing the complexities of the relationships between the European settler and indigenous communities in the 19th century. The ghostly white figures that dance across the deep black ground are based upon late 19th century photographs of a decorated mia-mia in an aboriginal encampment that was constructed as a didactic display in the Royal Melbourne Zoo.”

Artwork:
Tom Nicholson
Drawings and correspondence 4 2011
charcoal and white pastel on paper
Courtesy of the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery

2012 finalists (in alphabetical order):
Steven Ajzenberg
Dena Ashbolt
Steven Asquith
Paul Borg
Dean Bowen
Warren Breninger
Jessica Crowe
Dagmar Cyrulla
Ysabelle Dauguet
Graeme Drendel
Chris Dyson
David Fairbairn
Emily Ferretti
Simon Finn
Todd Fuller
Greg Fullerton
Susan Gourley
Richard Grigg
Helga Groves
Peter Grziwotz
Mandy Gunn
Robbie Harmsworth
Pei Pei HeAnna Hoyle
Locust Jones
Claude Jones
Jennifer Joseph
Jeremy Kibel
Bruno Leti
Richard Lewer
Laith McGregor
Mish Meijers & Tricky Walsh
Joanne Mulcahy-Zubani
Tom Nicholson
David Palliser
Nick Pike
Anne Ross
Vin Ryan
Tracy Sarroff
Andrew Seward
Andrew Southall
Adriane Strampp
Deborah Walker
Paul White

Paul Guest Drawing Prize 2010: Belinda Fox for her work, Monument 2008–2010.

Victorian artist Belinda Fox has been chosen as the winner of the inaugural Paul Guest Drawing Prize. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts as a printmaker, the hand drawn watercolour work is extraordinary for its textural qualities.
Judge Roger Butler said, ‘The work doesn’t reveal itself as soon as you see it; rather, it invites you to interpret it through its complexity. I’m intrigued by the use of the ink blot suggesting a duality in the work – we see an army tank on one side, while on the other the tank’s form has morphed into something seemingly more sinister. In her work Fox gives the viewer suggestions or ideas but ultimately it is up to the viewer to complete the image’.
Choosing a winning work was difficult. Roger added, ‘I was genuinely taken aback and impressed by the extraordinarily high calibre of works represented in the exhibition. The final selection of artists and works for the exhibition and prize is of an extremely high quality, nearly without exception. Selecting the winner was incredibly difficult, far more than I could have anticipated, and as such an honour to be a part of.’
Thirty-seven artists and thirty-six works were shortlisted for the inaugural Paul Guest Drawing Prize and exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery.
Judge Roger Butler, Senior Curator, Australian Prints and Drawings National Gallery of Australia Canberra commented: ’It was refreshing to see work from such a broad spectrum of artists – from youthful to mature – both working in traditional modes and reinterpreting the very definitions of drawings. The prize has undoubtedly encouraged artists to extend and explore the possibilities of the medium.’

Artwork:
Belinda Fox
Monument 2008–10
painting, drawing and collage on paper
Courtesy of the artist

2010 finalists (in alphabetical order):
• Marc Alperstein
• Lisa Andrew
• Wendy Black
• Godwin Bradbeer
• Julie Brunton
• Kim Buck
• Robyn Burgess
• Maryanne Coutts
• Matt Coyle
• Jessica Crowe
• Jesse Dolman
• Rhonda Dredge
• Phil Edwards
• Anna Ephraim
• David Fairbairn
• Prudence Flint
• Belinda Fox
• John Grealy
• Rona Green
• Helga Groves
• Sussie Heymans
• Mark Hislop
• Virginia Hodgkinson
• Anna Hoyle
• Locust Jones
• Elizabeth Lamont
• Song Ling
• Abbey McCulloch
• Ms & Mr
• Grant Nimmo
• Annalise Rees
• Rebbecca Synnott
• Deborah Walker
• Thornton Walker
• Carole Wilson
• Helen Wright