Winner of the 2021 Olive Cotton Award for photographic portraiture
The Olive Cotton Award is a $20,000 biennial national award for excellence in photographic portraiture in memory of photographer Olive Cotton. The exhibition is selected from entrants across Australia and is a significant opportunity for established and emerging photographers. The winning work is acquired for the Gallery’s collection. The guest judge for 2021 was photo-media artist Michael Cook.
The 2021 winner is D-Mo for the portrait Vice Versa.
D-Mo (b.1977), Vice Versa, 2021. Digital print on Hahnemuhle photo rag. Acquired as the Winner of the Olive Cotton Award, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.
Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM awarded the 2021 Director’s Choice to Gerwyn Davies for the portrait Float.
Gerwyn Davies (b.1985), Float, 2021. Archival inkjet print. Acquired as the Director’s Choice of the Olive Cotton Award, 2021. Courtesy of the artist.
Guest judge Michael Cook awarded Highly Commended to Rusty Crawshaw for The Dengs; Shea Kirk for Hairstory; Gerrit Fokkema for Merv in the Long Grass, Dubbo; Judith Martinez Estrada for Absent/Present; and Craig Tuffin for THE SUPERS #2.
Rusty Crawshaw (b.1987), The Dengs, 2021, pigment print. Highly Commended Olive Cotton Award, 2021.
Shea Kirk (b.1985), Hairstory, 2020, pigment print. Olive Cotton Award, 2021.
Gerrit Fokkema (b.1954), Merv In The Long Grass, Dubbo, 2020, archival inkjet print. Olive Cotton Award, 2021.
Judith Martinez Estrada (b.1973) Absent/Present, 2020, archival pigment ink on Hahnemühle photo rag. Olive Cotton Award, 2021.
Craig Tuffin (b.1969) THE SUPERS #2, 2020, archival pigment print. Olive Cotton Award, 2021.
The 2021 People’s Choice Award winner is Tamsyn Houseman for Portrait of Annie 2021
Image Credit Tamsyn Houseman (b.2003), Portrait of Annie, 2021. Digital print.
The 2021 Award judge is artist Michael Cook. Michael is one of Australia’s most significant photo-media artists. A Brisbane-based artist of Bidjara heritage Michael has worked in photography for over 30 years. Since transitioning from commercial to fine art photography in 2009 Michael’s work has been included in major exhibitions all over the world his work is held in major collections including the British Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and the Tweed Regional Gallery & MOAC.
For more information about Michael Cook see:
- https://www.michaelcook.net.au/biography
- https://thisisnofantasy.com/artist/michael-cook/
Your work must be available for purchase because it is an acquisitive prize ($20,000), with additional Purchase Award(s) (to the maximum value of $4,000 wholesale) made following selection of the winner.
The image must be a portrait.
The image does not necessarily have to contain a person – eg. a photograph of a person’s bedroom or office or an object may be considered a portrait. In past years, typically, photographs of animals only have not been favoured for selection.
Selection is at the judges’ discretion. The photographer should have the subject’s permission to take the photograph and enter the award. Nudes are allowable where consent is clear. Discretion should be taken where child nudity is included.
If you have concerns you may discuss with Award Coordinator / Gallery Director, including showing your planned entry image if you wish.
A diptych that has overall dimensions not exceeding the maximum size, and is presented as ONE piece only, is acceptable. Eg. two images framed within ONE frame or printed onto a single canvas or, for an unframed exhibition print, printed onto ONE piece of paper.
Your initial Entry Image should also be presented as one image (ie both images in one digital image file showing correct placement next to each other).
These same conditions can be applied to an image consisting of multiple frames, eg. a triptych or a grid of 20 individual images etc.
The entry you submit must not have been previously shown. It may be similar to an exhibited work – eg. if you took a series of shots and you previously exhibited an image from the series but choose a different one to submit to the Award. If your submitted image is familiar, we may check with you and you will need to be able to demonstrate that it is different to your previously published/exhibited image.
A photograph printed on canvas will be considered a FRAMED entry and is allowable providing the materials and printing produce an archivally sound artwork.
You will be advised via email by Monday 24 May 2021.
- Ensure you haven’t exceeded the maximum size – including frame
- Ensure framing is to a professional standard
- Framed artwork MUST HAVE D-rings positioned 6cm below top of frame
- Do not attach string/wire to D-rings
- Make sure your name and phone number is included on the back of framed work
- Include instructions for return of entry
- Pack carefully so that your packaging can be re-used for return
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Prizes
First prize $20,000 acquisitive
Director’s Choice purchases up to wholesale value of $4,000
People’s Choice $250 (announced at end of exhibition)
About the award
The Olive Cotton Award was launched in 2005, and is funded by Olive Cotton’s family and dedicated to her memory as one of Australia’s leading twentieth century photographers. The Award has grown and gained national recognition attracting entries from well-known and emerging photographers across Australia. The award boasts a major acquisitive biennial prize of $20,000, selected by the Award judge. In addition, the Friends of the Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc. fund $4000 for the acquisition of portraits from the exhibition entries to be chosen by the Gallery Director. Visitors to the exhibition may also vote for their 'people’s choice', which awards $250 to the most popular finalist.
The Gallery thanks art dealer Josef Lebovic and photographer Sally McInerney, Olive Cotton’s daughter, for their ongoing support of the Award and also the Friends of the Gallery committee for their contributions, both financial and practical, to the Award and public program events. We also thank the many volunteers who assist with the huge task of receiving and despatching artworks and many other facets of the Prize organisation.
A short biography of Olive Cotton
Olive Cotton (1911-2003) discovered the art of photography in childhood and stayed committed to it all her life. Her mother was a talented painter who died young; her father, a geologist, had learnt the elements of photography for his journey to the Antarctic in 1907 and later taught it to his children.
Having graduated with an Arts degree, Olive Cotton worked successfully as a photographer at the Dupain studios in Sydney until the end of World War II, then moved with her new husband Ross McInerney, to the bush near Koorawatha, NSW. For 20 years she had no access to darkroom facilities, but kept taking photographs.
In 1964 Cotton opened a small studio in Cowra and took local portraits, weddings and commissions. After a 40 year absence from the city art scene she re-emerged in 1985 with her first solo show at the Australian Centre for Photography in Sydney, she then concentrated on rediscovering and printing her life's work. A major exhibition of Cotton's works was shown at the Art Gallery of NSW in 2000.
Adapted from information provided by Sally McInerney, May 2005.
Olive Cotton
Past awards
Past winners
Belinda Mason
Taken 2019
lenticular
Trent Parke
Candid portrait of a woman on a street corner 2013
pigment print
Emily Portman
The Stone 2008
Justine Varga
Maternal Line 2017
chromogenic hand printed photograph from 5 x 4 inch negative
Tamara Dean
Damien Skipper 2011
pure pigment print on rag paper
George Fetting
Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, former Mufti of Australia – Lakemba 2007
Natalie Grono
Pandemonium's shadow 2015
pigment inkjet print
Richard O'Farrell
Savitri 2009