THE Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award (SMFACA) announced Lynda Draper the winner of the prestigious prize last Friday night for her artwork, ‘Somnambulism 2019’.
The 57-year-old, Sydney-based artists piece – inspired by the beautiful gardens at the Palace of Versailles in France – earned her $50,000.
Mrs Draper was overwhelmed when she was announced the winner and said having her work on display at the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is an honour.
Her artwork entailed a series of busts of kings and queens, their forms echoing the neoclassical statues discovered in grounds of a European palace, shrouded during the winter months to aid conservation. Monument-like, Mrs Draper places these new figures on tall white plinths. Their crisp whites, pearly pinks and pastel hues appear ghost-like and translucent, in contrast to the usual bronze and concrete more commonly used for sculptures in parks and public spaces.
For the artist, somnambulism, or sleepwalking, is the dream-space between conscious and unconscious thought. The title conjures a psychological space with echoes of the wintery parklands, gardens and decorative excesses of the Château du Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris, France, where Mrs Draper was recently an artist-in-residence.
All six of the nominees for the 2019 SMFACA produced high quality ceramics that are colourful and creative, with each telling a unique story. The six displays will remain at SAM until September.
The 2019 SMFACA was judged by SAM director, Rebecca Coats, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia assistant director, Lisa Slade and artist, Stephen Benwall.
