The Blake Prize Exhibition
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Opening
Thurs, 17 Oct, 6-8pm
- When 17 Oct - 16 Nov 2013
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Where
UNSW Galleries
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Address
Cnr Oxford Street and Greens Rd, Paddington
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Hours
Tue to Sat, 10am-5pm
The Blake Prize is one of Australia’s longest standing art prizes, and has been awarded since 1951 for a work that addresses a subject matter that is of religious or spiritual integrity. In 2008, the Blake Society introduced the Blake Poetry Prize in partnership with the NSW Writers Centre.
The Blake Prize Exhibition presents a diverse snapshot of what constitutes religious and spiritual identity at this particular moment in time. Featuring finalists from the 62nd Blake Prize and winning and highly commended poems from the 6th Blake Poetry Prize, the subject matter intentionally invites more open responses from artists and poets that has resulted in pushing the boundaries of what might be generally considered as spiritual or religious in nature.
Many works will confirm recognisable religious ideas whilst others are critical of the social impact of some religious ideas within society. It is this tolerance for a range of responses from belief to unbelief that come with passion or criticism that has given the Blake such a colourful and interesting history.
In recent years, in particular, there has been a renewed sense of questioning about what spirituality and human justice might mean in our contemporary culture and drawn much interest, controversy and discussion.
Opening Day Blake Forum
The role of spiritual art today
Panel members include: David Capra, artist, Dr Paul Gwynne, Lecturer in World Religions, UNSW Faculty of Law and Rev. Dr Rod Pattenden, Chair, Blake Society
When: 1-2pm, Friday 18 October
Blake Prize Lunchtime Talks
Artist talks will take place in the Galleries every Wednesday from 1-2pm.
October 23: Sylvia Griffin, John A. Douglas and Liam Benson.
October 30: Catherine Rogers, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Joan Ross and Giles Alexander.
November 6: Ben Rak, Abdullah M. I. Syed, Paul Ryan and Merilyn Fairskye.
November 13: Owen Leong, Josephine Starrs, Leon Cmielewski and Adam Norton.