Brian Robinson, from Waiben (Thursday Island), Queensland, is on a winning streak, taking out the People’s Choice Award of $5,000 in the Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards 2013, with Ray Ken and Minyawe Miller being awarded second and third place respectively.
Brian Robinson, a multi-disciplinary contemporary artist whose practice includes printmaking, painting, sculpture, installation, and design, also won the $50,000 WA Indigenous Art Award 2013.
Stefano Carboni, Director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia, congratulated Robinson on his multiple successes in this year’s Awards. “Congratulations to Brian Robinson on his success in winning the People’s Choice Award as well as the WA Indigenous Art Award. Our audiences clearly responded to his innovative approach in contemporary storytelling of important cultural narratives.”
This is the first occasion in the history of the Awards, founded in 2008, where the overall winner has also been awarded the People’s Choice.
“Brian’s continued success is testament to the vision and unique presentation of the ideas and narratives within his work. Our audiences, as were our judges, have been captivated by his work,” Mr Carboni said.
The Gallery is looking forward to hosting the Awards again in 2015, but until then Brian Robinson’s thought-provoking works, along with those of the fifteen other finalists in this year’s Awards will be on display at the Gallery until 27 January.
Awards background
The Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards, the richest Indigenous arts prize in the country, is a national award which celebrates the breadth, diversity and excellence of art from all corners of Indigenous Australia. The awards acknowledge the significant and ongoing contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists make to Australian art, culture and society. Since its inception, over 850 nominations have been received from arts organisations and professionals from across Australia.
The awards comprise a group exhibition of outstanding art and three non-acquisitive awards:
– The $50,000 Western Australian Indigenous Art Award 2013 Recipient: Brian Robinson.
– The $10,000 Western Australian Artist Award 2013 Recipient: Churchill Cann.
– The $5,000 People’s Choice Award 2013 Recipient: Brian Robinson.
