Green Valley artist shortlisted for prestigious art prize
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Green Valley artist Tom Yousif has been shortlisted as one of 86 finalists for the 66th Blake Prize, one of Australia’s longest standing and most prestigious art prizes.
Hosted as a biennial event by the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC), the 66th Blake Prize winner will be chosen by a judging panel featuring Sri Lankan-born contemporary artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Art Gallery of NSW Director of Collections and Deputy Director Maud Page and presenter of SBS flagship current affairs program Insight Kumi Taguchi.
The winners of the 66th Blake Prize will be announced by NSW Arts Minister the Honourable Don Harwin on Saturday 13 February at 3.30pm via live stream on the CPAC website.
“Congratulations and good luck to this year’s Blake Prize finalists. In a year when submissions have never been higher, what you have accomplished is no mean feat,” Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said.
“We are pleased to have Minister Harwin join us in celebrating the skill, dedication and hard work that has gone into each and every one of these entries.”
“We are honoured to be home to the Blake Prize exhibition which is yet another example of how Liverpool is growing into a global city and culture hub. We invite everyone in the community and broader Sydney to come along to CPAC and see the immense artistic talent on show.”
Empowering contemporary artists to engage with concepts of spirituality, religion, and belief, the Blake Prize has been an arts stalwart since 1951 and has never been more popular among artists in Australia and abroad.
Mr Yousif’s submission was selected from a record 1200 entries this year – a 56 per cent increase on entries received for the 65th Blake Prize in 2018. It depicts a UV ink-on-cement representation of Ugallu, a lion-headed bird from ancient Mesopotamian culture.
“I am thrilled to be listed as a finalist in this year’s Blake Prize. Having lived in and around the Liverpool area all my life, my goal was to be featured in an exhibition at CPAC. I was grateful to have achieved this goal in 2019 as part of a Liverpool Art Society exhibition,” said Mr Yousif.
“My Blake Prize submission is part of a body of work that proudly draws on my Mesopotamian cultural heritage dating back to over 5000 years ago. The use of concrete pays homage to ancient Mesopotamian art in a contemporary way.”
“Being part of the Blake Prize exhibition will not only be an exclamation point on my artistic career so far but an opportunity for me to give back to my Liverpool community.”
The selected finalists will have their work shown at CPAC from 13 February to 11 April 2021.
Born in South West Sydney where he lives and works, Yousif completed his Master of Fine Art in 2018 majoring in painting at the National Art School, Sydney.
His work interplays technological processes within the conventional parameters of painting, using computer software and commercial vinyl cutting equipment.
His content aims to revive and adapt the iconoclastic art works of the past century in order to question authenticity and its relevance in an image saturated world.