Anita Johnson wins the 22nd Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize
Published on 28 September 2023
Anita Johnson has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, coinciding with the opening of the exhibition at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf.
The Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize is Australia's pre-eminent prize for small sculpture and the first national acquisitive prize for an original sculpture of up to 80cm, presented by Woollahra Council.
Anita Johnson has been awarded the $25,000 award, for her work, Tenderness, which will be acquired for the Council’s permanent public collection joining previous winners Bruce Reynolds, Tim Silver, Robert Owen, Yvonne Kendall, Rhonda Sharpe and Mikala Dwyer.
Tenderness is made from salvaged cricket ball, moulded and dyed leather, linen thread and possum fur. When Johnson found the ball in a state of ruin, she was drawn to the vulnerability of its wounded form. By taking a cast of her breast and using it to wet mould leather, an ‘object-prosthetic’ was produced. Possum fur—a sculptural nod to Meret Oppenheim and the possum skin blankets of her own youth—enhances the sense of comfort further still. The cricket ball, repaired in this manner, reveals compassion and tenderness in the wake of violence.
Winning artist Anita Johnson commented on the award: “My heartfelt deep gratitude for this support. This award will give me some much needed financial breathing space to run with ideas for new artworks. But more than that this recognition touches my heart in profound ways that has surprised me and brought me to joyful tears. There has been much dancing and whooping around my house with my son.”
Cultural Cradle by Robert Michael Young, image by Hamish Mcintosh
Robert Michael Young received the Special Commendation Award of $2,000 for Cultural Cradle, while Jamie North was selected for the Mayor’s Award, winning $1,000 for Remainder No.52.
Mayor Richard Shields with Remainder No.52.
Woollahra Mayor, Richard Shields said of the Mayor’s Award Winner: “With so much talent on display, choosing an artwork for the Mayor’s Award is no easy task but I was particularly drawn to Jamie North’s artwork, Remainder No.52. because it spoke to me of decay and that out of decay comes growth, life and hope. Congratulations to Jamie on a fantastic piece.
“Woollahra Council has a proud history of strong support for the arts and I am delighted that this continues through the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize and our Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the Gallery to view all of this year’s winners and finalists.”
Corsage by Nathan Beard, image by Jacquie Manning
This year, the judges have also awarded Nathan Beard a special Judges’ Award, winning $2,000 for Corsage.
The 2023 finalists’ works will be on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf in an exhibition running from 28 September to 5 November 2023. All sculptures are on sale to the public with prices ranging from $300 to over $26,000. Admission is free and the gallery is open from Wednesday to Sunday.
Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf Director, Pippa Mott, said: “It’s been such a privilege to participate in the orchestration of this prize alongside the Woollahra Small Sculpture Committee and our panel of judges. Further still, it’s been an absolute treat to work with 50 magnificent, marvellously varied objects – each with a unique story to tell. We can’t wait to share these works with the broader community.”
A number of talks will also take place in the gallery on Saturday, 7 October from 1.30pm, featuring Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize finalists Maria Fernanda Cardoso, Jaqueline Bradley, Anna May Kirk, Amelia Skelton, Braddon Snape, Orson Heidrich, Catherine O’Donnell, Mylyn Nguyen and 2023 winner Anita Johnson.
The Viewers’ Choice Award is open until midnight on 5 November, giving gallery visitors the opportunity to vote for their favourite sculpture. Vote for your favourite here. The winner of The Viewers’ Choice Award will receive $1,000.