Kimberley artist finalist in national award

A renowned Kimberley artist had been named as a finalist in one of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes.

Tom Lawford, also commonly known as Putuparri, is in the running for the 2016 Blake Prize after his pieceKurtal Headress was selected as one of the 594 entries to make up the 80 finalists earlier this month.

Lawford is a Wangkatjungka man that has worked as a translator and cultural advisor in the past.

His work as an artist is featured in the Canning Stock Route collection, while he starred in award-winning film Putuparri and the Rainmakers, directed by Nicole Ma.

The Blake Prize is in its 64th year and is Australia’s longest standing art prize, with the finalists’ pieces to be exhibited at the Casula Powerhouse Art Centre in New South Wales from February 13 to April 14, 2016.

With entrants originating from all over Australia, Ireland, USA, Switzerland, France, Germany and New Zealand, competition for the $35,000 winning prize is steep.

The winner will be announced on Friday, February 12, 2016, with the judges confirmed as World Vision Australia chief executive officer Reverend Tim Costello, artist Leanne Tobin and professor Amanda Lawson.

CPAC director Kiersten Fishburn said the entrants this year were diverse.

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“There was an extremely high calibre of entrants for the Blake Prize by some of Australia’s most regarded artists,” she said.

“Some artists have clearly come from a place of deep faith; others have used this as an exploration with many seeking to find ways to articulate a deeply personal spirituality.

“The extraordinary diversity of expression is also reflected across the mediums used this year – from traditional art techniques, to video works.’’