News location:

Canberra Today 13°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Asaka wins inaugural glass prize

CANBERRA glass artist Masahiro Asaka is the winner of the inaugural Hindmarsh Prize, it was announced at a packed function in the Fitters’ Workshop last night.

Masahiro Asaka Surge 19 2015 50cm (h) x 50cm (w) x 50cm (d) Price: $22,000 Masahiro Asaka, Surge series, 2015, Photographer: Rob Little
Masahiro Asaka’s Surge 19, 2015. Photo by Rob Little
John Hindmarsh, executive chairman of the $5000 prize’s initiator, Hindmarsh, told those present (though his speech was all but  inaudible in the much-touted  acoustic of the Fitters Workshop) that  the prize, also supported by the Tall Foundation, recognised  excellence and would promote  appreciation of the world-class artists working in glass who live and practice in the ACT and region.

Asaka’s work “Surge 19, 2015” was selected by the judging panel from 18 shortlisted finalists. As well as the $5000 cash prize he now has the opportunity to do a four-week residency at Canberra Glassworks.

The judges, Gerard Vaughan, director of the NGA;  independent writer and curator Julie Ewington; Eva Czernis-Ryl, curator, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences;  Magda Keaney, senior curator, Photographs, Film and Sound, Australian War Memorial and Ewan McEoin, the Hugh Williamson Senior Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture, National Gallery of Victoria, who said of Asaka’s winning work: “This is a beguiling and beautiful work. The twisting form recapitulates the transition of glass from molten to solid, to crystalline. This invites the play of light on the different surfaces. Its presence – its reality – has a magical quality.”

The beautifully-installed prize exhibition, all agreed, suited the Fitters’ space very well, and had been curated by Aimee Frodsham. All of the works are for sale, but  the Hindmarsh Group has first option on purchasing the $22,000 winning work.

 “Surge 19, 2015”  and the shortlisted works will be exhibited in the Fitters Workshop, adjacent to Canberra Glassworks, Wentworth Avenue, Kingston,  10am-10pm,  Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, 10am-4pm as a highlight of the Winter Glass Market 2016.  The exhibition will then return to the Canberra Glasswork galleries,  July 28-September 4.

 

 

 

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Helen Musa

Helen Musa

Share this

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews