National Contemporary Art Award 2010
Christchurch-born artist Locust Jones has won the Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award 2010 with his work titled ‘Lozenge of Dawn’, receiving $15,000 in prize money.
The artwork features four handmade papier-mâche orbs – three of which are comprised of strips of paper with world news headlines and refer respectively to global internet news stories, stories of climate change and rising sea levels, and the ‘Predator’ drone fighter planes which fly above Afghanistan in search of terror cells. The fourth orb features collaged imagery of politicians, protestors and soldiers.
Mr Jones describes his practice as being inspired by world events, and he scours newspapers, websites and other information sources for subject matter.
Award judge Rachel Kent said she was drawn to both the use of materials in the artist’s work, as well as its intriguing and pertinent political message.
“Selecting an award recipient from multiple entries is always a difficult task. Looking across an array of practices and media, one is almost spoilt for choice. I am drawn to the hand-made, tactile quality of Locust’s work and its transformation of drawing into three-dimensional, sculptural form,” she said.
“The toll of global conflict and environmental damage is suggested through Locust’s work. Playfulness and tactility are contrasted in the work with the more ominous nature of the information represented. It’s imperfect, fragile appearance suggests our planet in a time of massive change; and its proliferation of headlines and imagery convey a world of information saturation, with no clear winners or losers.”
Mr Jones was announced as the winner at an exhibition preview and award ceremony held at Waikato Museum on Friday evening.
Lozenge of Dawn is currently being exhibited alongside the other 32 finalists’ at Waikato Museum until 9 January 2011.
