Media Release: "Whimsical" Purple Van wins 2019 Clayton Utz Art Award

Brisbane, 19 September 2019: Amanda Penrose Hart was last night named the winner of the $20,000 Clayton Utz Art Award for 2019, for her oil on canvas titled Purple Van.

This year's award judge, Professor Ross Woodrow of Griffith University's Queensland College of Art, described the work as creating a "convincing and compelling" space for itself "in very special ways". "[T]he physicality of its painted surface, creates dynamic interpretations of space and perspective as a viewer moves laterally and longitudinally in relation to the plane of the surface… Without the purple van, this landscape… would be a convincing and absorbing painting and the risky whimsical addition defies the odds as a wonderfully evocative narrative trigger." 

Professor Woodrow also singled out three works for special mention: Michelle Caitens "disturbingly brilliant" Sea Glass; Scott McDougall’s Inferno – Cane Burn, Murwillumbah NSW – "an absolute ripper of [a] painting, full of heat and real and metaphoric incendiary" – and Lisa Christensen's "stunning" Crimson Rosella with Native Australian Flora.

The People's Choice Prize – as voted by Clayton Utz Brisbane partners and employees – was awarded to Alexandra Matthews for her work, Forbidden City. This is the second year Alexandra has won the Prize.

Clayton Utz Brisbane Partner-in-Charge Scott Sharry presented Amanda with her $20,000 prize in front of a crowd of around 150 Clayton Utz people, clients, artists and guests, who enjoyed wine and canapés while viewing the works of the 42 Award finalists exhibited on Clayton Utz's Level 28 reception floor. The works will be on display for the next 12 months.

Scott said the Award was a proud fixture on the firm's events calendar. "Our people really connect with this Award and enjoy the conversations that are inevitably sparked by having such a diversity of artistic expression on display in our various meeting rooms and spaces. Once again, the Award has attracted an exceptional array of talent and we're delighted to play a part in promoting that talent."  

The Clayton Utz Art Award is open to Queensland-based artists, or artists with a strong connection to Queensland.

Clayton Utz acknowledges and thank Brett Lethbridge of Lethbridge Gallery for his continued outstanding support in co-ordinating and managing the Clayton Utz Art Award.