Shaun Gladwell Wins Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize

It is with great pride that the gallery announces program artist Shaun Gladwell‘s receipt of the 2014 Shirley Hannan National Portrait Prize! Says ArtInfo:

“Gladwell won the $50,000 award with a moving diptych of Aboriginal actor Meyne Wyatt dressed as a Black Digger in Army uniform costume. ‘Portrait of Meyne Wyatt/Black Digger’ was one of 35 finalists selected from almost 200 entries submitted for the award, which is a celebration of realistic portraiture and one of Australia’s best loved and richest portrait prizes.

The Award was judged by Sarah Engledow, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, who identified Gladwell’s work as ‘the one that sustained my interest, aesthetically and sympathetically. I was moved by the restraint of the work, its gentleness, and the effect of its miniscule differences.’ “

Simultaneously, Gladwell is also the 2014 recipient of the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award, a distinction that is considered one of the most important annual surveys of contemporary Australian photographic practice. Established photographers are showcased alongside emerging, resulting in a stunning reflection of contemporary practice that examines diverse themes and approaches. This highly anticipated award, with a total $30,000 in prizes and acquisitions (first prize is $20,000), is a highlight of Gold Coast City Gallery’s exhibition program, and was awarded to Gladwell last month for his work, “The Flying Dutchman in Blue (Coogee 2)” (2013).

We congratulate Shaun on these incredible, distinctive awards.

The artist currently also has work on view in several international locations, including “In the Midst of Breakers” at The Collection Museum (UK) through July 13th, and “Shaun Gladwell: Afghanistan” at the Samstag Museum, University of South Australia, through July 18th. We encourage you to visit these exhibitions.