Above image : Jennifer Mills, Head in hands , 2023, watercolour and pencil on paper, image courtesy and © the artist
The National Art School (NAS) has announced the 56 contemporary artists selected as finalists for the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, Australia’s prestigious $30,000 biennial acquisitive prize dedicated to drawing.
The finalists were selected by a panel of esteemed experts comprising acclaimed First Nations artist Vernon Ah Kee, Paula Latos-Valier AM, Trustee and Art Director of the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, and Dr Yolunda Hickman, Head of Postgraduate Studies, National Art School.
Presented in partnership with the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, the Dobell Drawing Prize celebrates the enduring importance of drawing in contemporary art practice, with a focus on technique, innovation and expanded approaches. The Prize attracts entries from across Australia, showcasing the diverse ways in which drawing is explored today and how artists are continuing to push the boundaries of the medium.
This year’s list of finalists features an exciting cross section of established, mid and early-career artists including, Michael Bell, Osvaldo Budet, Tom Carment, Maryanne Coutts, Martin King, Brian Martin, Nadia Odlum, Agus Wijaya, Yvette Hamilton, Esther Erlich, Rosemary Lee and Chesca Athas.
The selected works span various media – from coloured pencil, charcoal, chalk and watercolour to clay, human hair, aluminium, LED, and video – and consider a range of themes including domesticity and social dynamics, environmental care, and impacts of climate change and colonisation.
The winning work enters the National Art School’s significant collection, built over the past 120 years.
Simon Cooper, Interim Director and CEO of the National Art School, said: “The National Art School is excited to announce this year’s finalists for the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize. As one of Australia’s most respected platforms for contemporary drawing, it not only rewards excellence in technique but also champions the innovation and diverse practices that continue to shape the role of drawing in art today. The exhibition is part of the NAS Festival of Drawing, a biennial event organised by the school’s National Centre for Drawing, which will also include talks, workshops and a research symposium.”
