Tara Murray
The Footscray Community Arts Centre has always held a special place in the heart of artist Simon Clark.
He first took drawing lessons at the centre, before expanding his work and enrolling at the Victorian College of Arts.
Clark, who lives in Sunshine, was recently named as one of the winners of the 2021 Footscray Art Prize, which is being exhibited at the arts centre.
His work, Gaskin Gardens, was the first winner of the 10,000 Local Artist Acquisition Prize.
The intricately layered collage reflects on the confinement that many commission housing residents experienced during lockdown.
”It’s pretty special,” Clark said. “I was surprised at first, as I’ve never won something in an art competition before.
“The standard of work was really high. I got an email saying I was being considered, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
M Clark said the pieve took him several months to complete during lockdown last year. He used to live around the corner from Gaskin Gardens.
“The architecture style made it sort of look like a utopia, which was the idea behind it,” he said.
“For the people inside it was the opposite.”
Mr Clark said it was nice to be recognised at the place where he first started studying art.
“It essentially led me to winning this prize,” he said. “It’s a special place for me.”
Fellow Sunshine artist Anna Kiparis was named runner-up in the same category. Maribyrnong council has purchased both their pieces for its arts collection.
Northern Territory-based artist Lee Harrop took out the main prize for her sculptural work that interrogates the mining industry using a hand-engraved core sample.
The short listed artworks will be on display at the Footscray Community Arts Centre and VU at MetroWest until June 5.
Details: www.footscrayartprize.com/exhibitions
