Xanthe Dobbie wins 2023 Incinerator Art Award

Melbourne-based artist Xanthe Dobbie was named as the winner of the prestigious $10,000 Incinerator Art Award at Incinerator Gallery on Friday night.

From an initial field of more than 250 entries from all over Australia, Xanthe’s work The Long Now was declared the standout among the 28 shortlisted artworks.

Presented at the exhibition’s opening at the City of Moonee Valley’s flagship gallery in Aberfeldie, the award was judged by art professionals Andrew Tetzlaff, Jessica Clark and Nathan Beard.

In announcing Xanthe the award winner, the judges said collectively of the artwork, “the relevance and timeliness of The Long Now captures a convergence of pop and game culture, social media, and the everyday vernacular of the internet.”

“Through a plurality of historical narrative and contemporary visual languages, it masterfully highlights video as a media that can be both accessible and stylistic,” they said.

“Xanthe humorously draws upon a range of topics including the relevance of monuments, the patriarchy, and the vast disparity of power and influence. The artwork is speculative, contemporary myth-making for a future that is not guaranteed. This provokes feelings of anxiety, outrage, and hopefully resistance.”

Also announced was the $1,000 City of Moonee Valley Mayoral Award winner.

Moonee Valley Mayor Cr Pierce Tyson named Amala Groom, with their artwork Found, as this year’s winner.

Mayor Tyson said the quality of finalists for this year’s Incinerator Art Award was “uniformly outstanding”, which made choosing a Mayoral Award winner difficult.

However, he said Amala’s artwork stood out to him as it “evokes the contrast between traditional colonial Australian bush artwork and a layered approach of Indigenous self-belief, sovereignty and love”.

“Ahead of the Voice to Parliament Referendum on 14 October, I could not think of a stronger piece,” said Mayor Tyson.

“Vote Yes on Saturday.”

Now in its ninth year, the annual Incinerator Art Award exhibition invites artists from across Australia to respond to the theme of ‘art for social change’.

It is inspired by the visionary ideals of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, the architects of the historic incinerator building, who believed in the
harmonious integration of modernist architecture with nature, promoting environmentalism and social equity.

The Griffins’ ethos, born in the early 20th century, continues to resonate with contemporary culture, amplifying the significance of the Incinerator Art Award.

Still to be awarded is the $1,000 People’s Choice Award. This will be voted on by gallery visitors during the exhibition’s duration.

Mayor Tyson urged art lovers from Moonee Valley and beyond to visit Incinerator Gallery and vote for their favourite artwork before the exhibition ended on 19 November.

“The Incinerator Art Award is one of the gallery’s most significant events of the year,” said Mayor Tyson. “To see an exhibition of this calibre in such an iconic venue as the former Essendon Incinerator is an experience unique to Moonee Valley.”

“In line with our arts and culture strategy, Igniting Creativity in Moonee Valley 23-27, we are so proud to present this brilliant exhibition in our City.

“Congratulations to all the shortlisted artists. We can’t wait to see which of your artworks will be named the People’s Choice Award winner.”

Incinerator Art Award shortlisted artists:

Agus Wijaya, Alycia Bennett, Amala Groom, Angus Scott, Baby Guerrilla, Chantelle Mitchell and Jaxon Waterhouse, Dani Reynolds, Eden Menta and Janelle Low, Edwina Green, Elyas Alavi, Isabella Hone-Saunders, Jack Lee, Kathy Holowko, Katie Stackhouse, Linda Studena, megan evans, Ming Liew, Mira Oosterweghel, Miream Salameh, Moreen Wellington Lyons, Nicholas Hubicki, Nina Sanadze, Olivia Koh, Patrick McDavitt, Phuong Ngo, Rebecca Jensen, Scotty So, and Xanthe Dobbie.

Exhibition details

Incinerator Gallery, 180 Holmes Road, Aberfeldie, 3040
Exhibition dates: Saturday, 7 October – Sunday,19 November 2023
Artist talk: Saturday, 11 November, 2pm
Public artmaking event: Artmaking with Kathy Holowko and her artwork Fungi Town, Saturday, 14 October – 11am for children, 2pm for adults.
People’s Choice Award winner announced: Friday, 24 November.

More information at incineratorgallery.com.au

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Media enquiries:

Jo Roberts, Team Leader, Media & Strategic Communications

Mobile: 0437 641 392; Email: media@mvcc.vic.gov.au