Brisbane couple gives $100,000 prize to artwork demonstrating ‘Australian pride’

Résumé détaillé

The Banksia Prize, now the richest prize for an artwork in Queensland, was won by an artist specialising in the natural world.

Fremantle artist Roger Swainston has won the inaugural Banksia Art Prize and with it $100,000 in prize money.

His landscape painting Daintree Creek was judged the winner of the prize, which is funded by Brisbane couple Jake Phillpot and Zuzanna Kamusinski and conceived as an alternative to existing national art prizes.

The work won among a field of 1500 entries that were whittled down to 25 by a group of “ordinary Australians” via an online poll.

The final winner was then selected by a panel of six people from the field of art, business and media who were not told the identity of the artists.

The painting and the other finalists will be on display at the Brisbane Powerhouse until November 29.

Co-founder Phillpot, who is the CEO of Brisbane-based HR software firm Tanda, said the Banksia Prize was a response to awards “that favour works and artists that fit a particular social or political narrative”.

“Australian public discourse is very introspective and self-critical, including what’s in the paper, including what’s on the ABC, and including what’s in these art prizes,” Philpott said.

“And there’s a place for that, and there’s a time for that, and that’s important, but it can’t be only that.

“There also needs to be a place to celebrate what we have, to set the vision for the future of the country, and to enjoy what it means to be Australian, because I don’t think there’s any other country in the world that anyone would reasonably prefer to live in.”

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