Blake Prize for Religious Art
Encyclopedia
The Blake Prize for Religious Art is an annual art
prize
in Australia
.
The prize was established in 1949 as an incentive to raise the standard of religious art. Founded by Mr R. Morley, the Reverend Michael Scott SJ, Rector of Newman College
, University of Melbourne
, and lawyer Mrs M. Tenison, it was named after the artist
and poet
William Blake
. The first Blake Prize was won by Justin O'Brien in 1951.
The Blake Exhibitions have been a regular travelling exhibition around Australia, visiting various major cities and provincial galleries.
The award of the Blake Prize to Charles Bannon in 1954 for his "Judas Iscariot
" was one of the most controversial in its history; this opened controversy over what constituted religious art and over "abstract expressionism
" which threatened to overwhelm the exhibition.
The prize is administered by the Blake Society.
In 2008 the Blake Society established The Blake Poetry Prize
to link art and literature and to give Australian poets new possibilities to explore the nature of spirituality in the 21st century. The Blake Poetry Prize is presented in association with the New South Wales Writers' Centre
.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
prize
Prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. Official prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The prize was established in 1949 as an incentive to raise the standard of religious art. Founded by Mr R. Morley, the Reverend Michael Scott SJ, Rector of Newman College
Newman College (University of Melbourne)
Newman College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational residential college affiliated with the University of Melbourne. During the university year it houses about 235 undergraduate students and about 55 postgraduate students and tutors...
, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, and lawyer Mrs M. Tenison, it was named after the artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
. The first Blake Prize was won by Justin O'Brien in 1951.
The Blake Exhibitions have been a regular travelling exhibition around Australia, visiting various major cities and provincial galleries.
The award of the Blake Prize to Charles Bannon in 1954 for his "Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
" was one of the most controversial in its history; this opened controversy over what constituted religious art and over "abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism was an American post–World War II art movement. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris...
" which threatened to overwhelm the exhibition.
The prize is administered by the Blake Society.
In 2008 the Blake Society established The Blake Poetry Prize
The Blake Poetry Prize
The Blake Poetry Prize is an Australian poetry prize, presented annually by The Blake Society and the New South Wales Writers' Centre. Established in 2008 the Prize offers a $5,000 prize for a new poem that best explores the religious or spiritual...
to link art and literature and to give Australian poets new possibilities to explore the nature of spirituality in the 21st century. The Blake Poetry Prize is presented in association with the New South Wales Writers' Centre
New South Wales Writers' Centre
The New South Wales Writers' Centre is an association established in Sydney in May 1991 to promote writing-based culture and the rights and interests of writers. Together with Varuna - The Writers' House and the Sydney Writers' Festival, the NSW Writers' Centre is the main support organisation for...
.
List of winners
- 1951 Justin O'Brien - The Virgin Enthroned
- 1952 Frank HinderFrank HinderFrancis Henry Critchley Hinder was an award winning Australian painter, sculptor and art teacher who is also known for his camouflage designs in World War II.-Education:Frank Hinder was born in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1906...
- Flight into Egypt - 1953 Michael KmitMichael KmitMichael Kmit was a Ukrainian painter who spent twenty-five of his most productive years in Australia. He is notable for introducing a neo-Byzantine style of painting to Australia, and winning a number of major Australian art prizes including the Blake Prize and the Sulman Prize...
- The Evangelist John Mark - 1954 Charles Bannon - Judas Iscariot
- 1955 Donald FriendDonald FriendDonald Stuart Leslie Friend was an Australian artist, writer and diarist.- Early life :Born in Sydney, precociously talented both as an artist and a writer, Friend grew up in the artistic circle of his bohemian mother...
- St John and Scenes from the Apocalypse - 1956 Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- The Scourged Christ - 1957 Elwynn Lynn - Betrayal
- 1958 Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- The Moment Christ Died - 1959 Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- Christ is Risen - 1960 John CoburnJohn CoburnJohn Coburn was an Australian painter. He is also known for his tapestries.Coburn served in the Navy during World War 2 and later enrolled at the National Art School.He won the Blake Prize for Religious Art twice....
- Triptych of the Passion - 1961 Stanislaus Rapotec - Meditating on Good Friday
- 1962 Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- Eucharistic Landscape - 1963 Leonard FrenchLeonard FrenchLeonard William French OBE is an Australian artist, known principally for major stained glass works.French was born in Brunswick, Victoria...
- Ancient Fragments - 1964 Michael Kitching - Last Supper-Premonition
- 1965 Asher BiluAsher BiluAsher Bilu , is an Australian artist who creates paintings, sculptures and installations. He has also contributed to several films by Director Paul Cox as production designer. He was born in Israel, and began his career as an artist soon after arriving in Australia in 1956. From the start, his art...
- I Form Light and Create Darkness-Isaiah 45:7 - 1966 Rodney Milgate - Ascension
- 1967 Desiderius OrbanDesiderius OrbanDesiderius Orban OBE was a renowned Hungarian-born Australian painter, printmaker and teacher. He was influenced by the paintings of Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne.-Biography:...
- Hosanna - 1968 Roger KempRoger KempFrancis Roderick Kemp OBE , known as Roger, was one of Australia's foremost practitioners of transcendental abstraction...
- The Cross - 1969 Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- The Assassin's Creed - 1970 Roger KempRoger KempFrancis Roderick Kemp OBE , known as Roger, was one of Australia's foremost practitioners of transcendental abstraction...
- Denial & Eric SmithEric Smith (artist)Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australian artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize twice; the Sulman Prize three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art six times.-Life and...
- Christ's Flesh: Living, Suffering and Resurrected - 1971 Desiderius OrbanDesiderius OrbanDesiderius Orban OBE was a renowned Hungarian-born Australian painter, printmaker and teacher. He was influenced by the paintings of Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne.-Biography:...
- Transition to Christianity - 1972 Joseph SzaboJoseph SzaboJoseph Szabo is an American photographer.-Life and career:Szabo studied photography at the Pratt Institute where he received his MFA. He taught photography at Malverne High School in Long Island, New York from 1972 to 1999 and he continues to teach at the International Centre of Photography...
- Black Friday - 1973 Keith LoobyKeith LoobyKeith Looby, born Sydney. Australian artist who won the Archibald Prize in 1984 with a portrait of Max Gillies. He won the Sulman Prize in 1974 with a genre painting - Still Life and Comfy II. He was Canberra Artist of the Year in 1992. Was married to Helen Beresford, sister of Australian...
- Your Motel Calvary Still Life Flowers - 1974 Stuart Maxwell - Christ at Emmaus & Ken Whisson - Tobias and the Angel
- 1975 Rodney Milgate - Thoughts on Holy Thursday
- 1976 David Voigt - Blue Requiem
- 1977 John CoburnJohn CoburnJohn Coburn was an Australian painter. He is also known for his tapestries.Coburn served in the Navy during World War 2 and later enrolled at the National Art School.He won the Blake Prize for Religious Art twice....
- Hozanna & Rodney Milgate - Tree - 1978 Noel Tunks - The First Friday Retreat
- 1979 Ian Gentle Alex Trompf - Roadside Altar Piece Comas
- 1980 Leonard FrenchLeonard FrenchLeonard William French OBE is an Australian artist, known principally for major stained glass works.French was born in Brunswick, Victoria...
- Instruments for a Drama Meditation - 1981 David Voigt - Meditation
- 1982 Mary Anne Coutts - In Mockery of Christ & Suzie Marston Sunday School Work Books
- 1983 Geoffrey Harvey Ann TaylorAnn TaylorAnn Taylor may refer to:*Ann Taylor , American radio personality*Ann Taylor , poet and children's writer*Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton , UK Labour Party politician*Ann Taylor -See also:...
- The Offering - 1984 Mary Hall - The Spirit of God hovered brooding over the face of the waters
- 1985 John Gould - Votives to Passion
- 1986 Roger Akinin - The Day of Atonement, Scapegoat and Apostate
- 1987 lan Grant - The Monks Cloak & Alan Oldfield - A High and perpetual shewing of Christ's mother according to Julian of Norwich
- 1988 Lise Floistad - This sign is a hidden treasure which desires to be known
- 1989 Warren Breninger - Hail Mary
- 1990 Gillian MannGillian MannGillian Mann , English/Australian artist who won the Blake Prize for Religious Art with the woodcut print on paper titled in 1990. She was born in Derby England and moved to Canberra Australia in 1971 and retired to the small town of Binalong NSW in the 1990s.She was a printmaking lecturer at the...
- The Chest - 1991 Alan Oldfield - Raft III & Rosemary Valadon - Before the Fall
- 1992 George GittoesGeorge Gittoes- Subject matter :With global vision, George Gittoes has set up mobile studios for three decades, creating works in regions of conflict and upheaval around the world...
- Ancient Prayer - 1993 John Davis - Some Thoughts on a Miracle
- 1994 Hilarie Mais - Veiling Silence
- 1995 George GittoesGeorge Gittoes- Subject matter :With global vision, George Gittoes has set up mobile studios for three decades, creating works in regions of conflict and upheaval around the world...
- The Preacher - Kibeho Massacre Series, Rwanda - 1996 Rachel Ellis - Woman at Jesus' feet
- 1997 Thomas Spence - Christmas Day 1914 (God's Truce)
- 1998 John Adair - One Dark Night (from St John of the Cross Poem Dark Night of the Soul')
- 2000 Frances Belle Parker - The Journey
- 2001 Lachlan Warner - 'Vitrine of lightweight (Sunyata), disposable (annica) Buddhas, in a range of festive colours, postures and mudras
- 2002 Hilton McCormick - The Harvest
- 2003 Shoufay Derz - Linking Back (Part 1)
- 2004 AñA Wojak - Pieta (Dafur)
- 2005 James Powditch - God is in the Details (Intelligent Design)
- 2005 Louise Rippert - Dance
- 2006 Euan MacleodEuan MacLeodEuan MacLeod , New Zealand artist who won the Archibald Prize in 1999. He was born in Christchurch in New Zealand and moved to Sydney in 1981. He has a Diploma of Fine Arts from Canterbury University in Christchurch...
- Untitled Landscape with Figure - 2007 Shirley PurdieShirley PurdieShirley Purdie is a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist, notable for winning the 2007 Blake Prize for religious art. Purdie was born at Gilburn, or Mabel Downs Station, in Western Australia's Kimberley region in 1948, and is a painter at Warmun community....
- Stations of the Cross - 2008 David TuckerDavid Tucker-Life:He graduated from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Donald Hall.He is an assistant managing editor of the Metro section of The Star-Ledger of Newark.He married and had a daughter, Calisa...
- A Local Girl Comes Home - 2009 Angelica Mesiti - Rapture (silent anthem)
- 2010 Leonard Brown - If you put your ear close, you’ll hear it breathing
See also
- Phoenix Prize for spiritual artPhoenix Prize for spiritual artThe Phoenix Prize for spiritual art is a biennial open art prize with a value of A$5,000, based at the Australian National University, awarded first in 2005...
- Art of AustraliaArt of AustraliaAustralian art incorporates art made in Australia or about Australian subjects since prehistoric times. This includes Australian Aboriginal art, Australian Colonial art, Landscape, Atelier, Modernist and Contemporary art. The visual arts have a long history in Australia, with evidence of Aboriginal...