Art powers combine for prize

THIRTY works of art, each produced by two or more makers, will be considered for the Infuse Art Prize at Ross Creek Gallery.

The $3,000 prize, along with the $1,000 Peter Pilven Collaborative Ceramic Award, will be announced when its exhibition begins on Saturday 1 August at Ross Creek Gallery.

Ruby Pilven from the gallery said the prize had attracted artists from across Australia.

Some of the works vying for the Infuse Art Prize range from earnest to humorous, like Claire Blake and Duncan Lannan’s I Want It Now.

“Each artwork has been produced through a genuine collaboration between two or more artists, bringing together a diverse range of creative practices, perspectives and technical skills,” she said.

“The exhibition celebrates the power of artists learning from one another while creating something that neither could have achieved alone.”

She said the finalists represent an exciting cross-section of contemporary art.

The works use ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, sculpture, photography, embroidery, cyanotype, mixed media, bluestone, wood, glass and installation.

Themes from the finalists include identity, memory, landscape, place, environmental concerns, relationships, material exploration, storytelling and experimentation.

“Each partnership has approached collaboration differently, with some combining distinct disciplines and others blending individual artistic languages into a single unified work,” Pilven said.

“The result is an exhibition filled with unexpected ideas, technical innovation and creative risk-taking.”

A Matter of Time by Ana Petidis and Ian Kemp.

Since its launch in 2024, Pilven said the prize has continued to attract increasing interest and submissions.

“The prize has quickly established itself as a unique opportunity because it celebrates collaboration rather than individual achievement, encouraging others to exchange skills, challenge one another and build lasting creative relationships,” she said.

The prize aims to present a challenge to artists in broadening their knowledge and approach.

“The exhibition demonstrates what can happen when artists step outside their usual practice and genuinely respond to another maker’s ideas,” Pilven said.

“Every artwork tells not only its own story, but also the story of a creative partnership.”

The gallery is located at 183 Post Office Road, Smythes Creek.