Pilbara to host prestigious regional art award

There is nothing quite like regional art according to national creative and Ngarrindjeri man Damien Shen, who is set to travel to the Pilbara for the 2021 Jury Art Prize in June. The Junction Co and Courthouse Gallery+Studio are due to announce the finalists for this years exhibition, which will be staged in Port Hedland, with the display expected to feature 55 works across regional and remote WA. Mr Shen said he loved presenting work in the region and the prize allowed regional artists to showcase their work from a wide-ranging platform. “As an artist I’ve invested time into exhibiting and running drawing workshops at regional galleries and enjoy the sense of community that a regional arts scene fosters,” he said. “It also develops great networks by engaging with community, sharing my skills and inspiring others to develop their practices.” Mr Shen will be joined by artist and poet Jazz Money and curator Sandra Murry on the judging panel. Finalists from Aboriginal and non-Indigenous backgrounds have worked with mediums spanning paint, photography, sculpture, digital and mixed media. Curator Elisa Trifunoski said the calibre of work would make the judges’ decision tough. “A strong application pool of submissions made for tough choices for the selection panel,” she said. Four key prizes make up the awards including the Judge’s Prize, Kathy Donnelly Encouragement Prize, the Jury Prize and the Patron Award.