Congratulations to Luke Cornish (E.L.K) on his selection as winner of the 2024 Gallipoli Art Prize for his painting The Pity of War.

A contemporary reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s iconic “La Pieta,” (English translation ‘The Pity’) reimagined to convey the profound sorrow experienced by mothers who have lost their children to the ravages of war.

The title is also a nod to English poet and Soldier Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) who was sadly Killed in action, one week to the hour of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War One (his mother cruelly notified of his death on Armistice Day).

"Through this artwork, I endeavour to capture the enduring agony and anguish etched upon the faces of these grieving mothers, transcending time and place to resonate with audiences today. Inspired by the timeless themes of sacrifice and loss, “The Pity of War” confronts viewers with the devastating human toll of armed conflict, particularly on those left behind. The modernised interpretation emphasises the universality of maternal grief, evoking empathy and contemplation in equal measure.

By invoking the spirit of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, I seek to pay homage to the enduring power of art to illuminate the human condition. “The Pity of War” serves as a poignant reminder of the futility of violence and the urgent need for peace, encouraging reflection on the true cost of war and the imperative of compassion and understanding in our world"

Lennox St. Gallery is pleased to present Abstracted Intersections, an exhibition of selected paintings from the 1980's by Robert Jacks. Selected pieces by Anthony White and Michael Johnson will also be on display at the gallery throughout April.

Congratulations to James Money for being selected as a finalist in the 2024 edition of the Rick Amor Drawing Award for his work On the run.

Image: On the run, 2024, Pen and Ink on paper, 56cm x 75cm.

Congratulations to Bettina Willner for her selection as a finalist for the 5th edition of the Officine Saffi Award.

Officine Saffi Award aims at presenting the best works by artists, makers, artisans and designers engaged in contemporary ceramic creation. Officine Saffi Award works proactively to encourage the construction of new connections between artists, institutions and audiences, in a perspective of dialogue and intercultural exchange.

The Award’s mission is to stimulate the creation of meaningful links between subject areas, practices, geographical settings and generations in order to broaden and enrich the ceramics discourse by disseminating its knowledge.

For the 5th edition applicants were invited to focus on the concepts intrinsic to “(un)Known Territories,” and so on the richness of meanings that can be found in an open definition of the term “territory”: physical matter, sedimented and in constant transformation; place of discovery; subject and object of knowledge in the making; a narrative device that binds personal and collective stories, places and cultures.

The shortlisted works will be presented in a curated group exhibition that will open in Milan, May 2024, at Fondazione Officine Saffi new venue.

Congratulations to John Aslanidis for his recent commission, Sonic.93, created for the newly opened Longchamp boutique at 115 Collins Street, Melbourne.