Image: Martin King tree of life, diary of lost souls in twenty volumes No 2 2023 etching, drypioint, polymer gravure, hard cover books 125 x 115 cm
Congratulations to Martin King who has been awarded the major acquisitive prize in the 2023 WAMA Art Prize Works on Paper, for his exquisite work, ‘Tree of life, diary of lost souls in twenty volumes No 2’.
Martin King is one of Australia’s leading printmakers, his work evokes the impact of colonisation on our landscape and the fusing together of the past and present through the natural world.
‘This work embeds naturalist John Cotton’s illustrations of birds of the Melbourne district in 1840 into an etching of a hybrid tree, an English Elm and indigenous Peppermint Gum, both present in Fitzroy Gardens Melbourne. Past and present fuse, the work is both memoriam and a vision for future eco-diversity.’ – Martin King, 2023
The WAMA Art Prize, Works on Paper, is a biennial national award. Inviting a multi-disciplinary range of nature-inspired Australian artists, the award celebrates the connectivity with nature and raises awareness of the importance of conserving our precious, unique Australian environment.
Over 300 artworks were entered in the 2023 WAMA Art Prize and the 50 finalists are represented in this exhibition.
The WAMA Art Prize is now showing at the Ararat Gallery TAMA (Textile Art Museum Australia)
82 Vincent Street, Ararat VICV until 19 November and can be viewed online here.
Voting is now open for the People’s Choice Award via the online exhibition.
To read more about Martin King and view a selection of the artist’s work, click here