Henri Van Noordenburg is the winner of the $20,000 Clayton Utz Art Award 2020, for his work of hand-carved photographs on Hahnemülhe titled, Hiding Place 2.
Award judge Dr Laini Burton, a senior lecturer at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art, described the winning entry as “a haunting thicket that summons a viewer to entertain an imagined narrative of either untold horror or hope”. The work forms part of Henri’s ‘When a memory becomes a story or a story a memory‘ series.
“The artist’s technique suggests labor of love and desire to develop the medium of photography. The work seemingly travels between places in the mind, becoming transformed over time and from one generation to the next as the artist has suggested,” she said.
Dr Burton awarded Highly Commended to four artists, Mitchell English for his oil on canvas, Heatwave Van Dyke Brown; Carolyn McKenzie-Craig for her charcoal dust drawing, Roadside Remains; Gerwyn Davies for his archival inkjet print, Desert (East/West)), and; Lindy Sale for her oil on canvas, Ithaca Creek. The People’s Choice Prize – is voted by Clayton Utz Brisbane partners, employees, and clients – was awarded to Kathy Ellem for her oil painting of a bullock driver, titled Two lefts and a right.
Clayton Utz Brisbane partner-in-charge Scott Sharry, who announced the winner via a virtual presentation, said he was impressed with the diversity of media and work this year’s Award attracted. Organisers were disappointed this year not being able to hold the traditional Awards function in the offices, which is a “highlight for our people, who enjoy meeting the artists face-to-face”.
Now in its 13th year, the Clayton Utz Art Award is an initiative to encourage, reward, and promote artists who have a Queensland base or connection. We extend our thanks to this year’s Award judge, Dr Laini Burton, and Brett Lethbridge and Lethbridge Gallery for their outstanding support in coordinating and managing the Clayton Utz Art Award.
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