Creative collab up for art award grab

THE work of two Ballarat creatives has been shortlisted for the University of Southern Queensland’s inaugural Biennial Art Award.

Heather Horrocks and Karenne Ann’s piece She the Silenced was featured in their Effacement show during last year’s Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and is now one 36 shortlisted works.

“It’s huge because there’s some other really important photographers and artists who’ve been selected as well,” she said.

“It’s hugely affirming to see ourselves as stepping up into the level that the artists we admire have reached.

“The awards will be in Toowoomba so we’ll go up there for the announcement and we’re calling it a visual development since we’ll be visiting a number of galleries on the way there and back.”

Having known and exhibited together for more than two

decades, Horrocks and Ann formalised their collaboration under the ISOyoh partnership a few years ago.

“We really like the idea of collaborating and supporting each other,” Horrocks said. “It’s more fun than a solo show.”

Horrocks creates works such as sculptures and masks using recycled videotape while Ann photographs the result.

Horrocks said the work is one of many exemplifying the duo’s central themes of feminism, environmentalism, and pushing back against suppression.

“I’m an old feminist, and women have come a long way but there’s a bloody long way to go yet,” she said.

“It’s often about hearing women’s voices. In our case we’re both older women and older women usually depart the public scene so it represents women who still feel silenced.

“Our work addresses the war on silence and the war on women and the war on the environment. There’s still some change to be made and we can do it with our art.”

Set to be exhibited at the UniSQ Art Gallery in Toowoomba from 8 April until May 19, the winners will be announced on Friday, April 12.

Categories include the Overall, Local Excellence, People’s Choice, Emerging Artist, and Packers awards with a prize money pool of $40,000.