I went along to Brunswick Street Gallery to check out the 50 Squared Art Prize in which I had entered my painting Siemens PLM – The Conquest of Bread. There were several hundred artworks on display. All of which were smaller than a 50 cm square – hence the name of the prize. Out of these I have picked the ten best artworks. They are in no particular order and the photographs were taken with my smartphone and then cropped in Photoshop. Some of the artworks were framed behind glass which makes the art take on a semi-mirror effect unfortunately.
Chinese Cannabis Party – Jia-Yi Liu
Wow! This knocked my socks off! At first glance I just saw the woman who appeared to be painted in a style long since past. I admired the delicate and subtle shading, the rendering of her clothes with that …… WTF!!! A BONG!!!
This a great painting, great technical ability, composition that works and then there is that ultra-contemporary smack in the face.
Fight Fight Fight – Jo Travis
Everything about this artwork is great. The use of the rulers as a ‘canvas’ is something that stood out. Then there is the subject two young boys on the ground fighting. This is something that is easily understood and universal in its appeal. For me art should be able to be understood by the greatest number of people. This painting does that very well.
Swim – Debbie Mourtzios
Composition is something that is sorely lacking in a great deal of contemporary art. And technical skill.
Not so with this painting. Perfect composition and extraordinary skill. Look at how few brushstrokes are used. Simply masterful.
Car – Unknown
I didn’t get the name of the artist or the title of the drawing. So if anyone would like to fill me in I will update this.
This is a ballpoint drawing, and about the size of a postcard. Technically brilliant.
Honeylingus – Dita Angeles
Another artist who has used a photorealist style – this time with a soft-focus air-brushed feel. Again I have picked an artist who has shown skill. Which for me counts for a lot.
Redhead – Redherring Wilson
This artist had quite a few artworks entered. And boy did I like their art. This one in particular was fantastic – The redhead matches logo turned into an uber-contemporary art piece. The final touch of a multi-colored splatter for me was a master stroke of genius.
Farbestein – Redherring Wilson
Need I say more. Bloody fantastic work. Ultra contemporary, technically competent and something that we can all relate to and understand.
Ebb Tide – Robyn Cuthbertson
For me this was one of the he most unique artworks in the building. The abstract composition with the wooden panels was very pleasing and then there is the abstract patterns which are embroidered. There’s something to be said for art that is just plain old beautiful and not trying to tell us something.
Abstract Future – Stacey Cole
I loved this. For me abstract paintings work best when they force the viewers eye to take a walk. This does that. It is well composed and as an abstract painter it was enjoyable.
Jane Eyre – Jack Van Brummelan
For me this was one of the best paintings on show. It was beautifully composed, somewhat mysterious in terms of the subject and above all masterfully painted. Take a look at the clothes they are extremely well painted, and the small scale of the work adds to the difficulty factor. This was the painting I voted for in the peoples choice.