Naked & Nude Art Prize 2023

Summer Aldis, winner of the $35,000 2023 prize with her work “Companion II”

companion _2_graphite on paper_100x90cm.jpg

Guest Judge Lauretta Morton OAM had the challenging task of selecting from the 61 high-quality entries:

“It is an honour to be the invited judge for this year’s Manning Regional Art Gallery $35,000 Naked & Nude Art Prize.

Having spent time with all the entries in the flesh, I found myself continually lured back to Summer Aldis’s large scale drawing Companion II.

Depicting a softly rendered body lying perfectly still, suspended, and draped in a wave of deftly rendered fabric, this rich and aesthetically alluring work of art while quiet, is extremely powerful.

Through the artist’s technically distilled and precise practice of drawing with graphite on paper, it explores thematic elements such as time, memory, symbology, light and dark, and reflects an artist whose attention to detail and precision is second to none.”

The Naked & Nude Art Prize 2023 will show at the Gallery until 15 October. Entry is free!

View the exhibition catalogue HERE

 

Naked & Nude Art Prize 2023 has a prize pool of $37,000.

Major Acquisitive Prize—$35,000.00

Val Good Bequest People’s Choice Prize—$2,000.00

“Naked & Nude refers to two things: firstly the great tradition of the Nude: a person who is bare with no covering or decoration. Secondly, a wider definition: something that is revealed, laid bare, unmasked or vulnerable”.

The biennial Naked & Nude Art Prize (previously the Manning Art Prize: Naked & Nude) commenced in 1990 with entries open to Australian artists. The Art Prize is a partnership between Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery and the Manning Regional Art Gallery. After 33 years, the Naked & Nude Art Prize has become a prestigious national event on the Australian Arts Calendar and is open to artists in a variety of mediums.  The winning entry is acquired by the Friends and donated to the Manning Regional Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

Without the generous gifts from all our supporters, the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery could not present the Naked & Nude Art Prize to the community of the Mid North Coast. For more information and to enter, please go to the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery Website, here

We are excited to announce Lauretta Morton OAM, the Director of Newcastle Art Gallery will be this year's judge. 

Lauretta Morton OAM - Director of Newcastle Art Gallery

With over 35 years’ experience in the Visual Arts and Creative Industries sectors, Lauretta is the first female Director in Newcastle Art Gallery's 66-year history. Her Directorship and artistic, curatorial leadership has achieved the highest audience participation in over a decade to award-winning nationally and internationally recognised exhibitions.

Securing record growth in benefaction and donations to the City of Newcastle’s $126M collection of over 7,000 works of art, Lauretta is a highly respected arts advocate committed to supporting the broader Gallery and Museum profession through multiple Industry Boards, Committees and Mentorship. Lauretta was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Australia Day Honours in recognition of her 'outstanding and meritorious service' to the museums and galleries sector. 

The finalists are:

Summer Aldis, Behzad Alipour, Daniel Butterworth, Matt Butterworth, Richard Byrnes, Kerry Cannon, Janet Clouston, Veronica Colvin, Philip Cooper, Robbie Crane, Jesse Dayan, Shawnee Dean, Jen Delirium, Christine Druitt-Preston, Mark Dubner, Sharon Duymel, Katherine Edney, Jo Ernst, Michael Gawler, Anna-Carlen Goosen, James Guppy, Matthew Hall-Fong, Naomie Hatherley, Petrina Hicks, Nicola Higgins, Kaswyn Hunt, Julie Hutchings, Sue Jarvis, Katherine Jenkins, Linda Kruger, Zai Kuang, Yianni Maggacis, Sangeeta Mahajan, Deborah Marks, Abbey McCulloch, Ray Monde, Freyja Moon, Liam Nunan, Alice Palmer, Alice Pulvers, Matthew Quick, Robyn Rich, Gwen Roberts, Jenny Rodgerson, Bruce Rowland, Gregory Semu, Wendy Sharpe, Randall Sinnamon, Gary Smith, Peter Steggall, Jane-Frances Tannock, Alex Thorby, Seabastion Toast, David Tucker, Jim van Geet, Sally West, Angus White, Joe Whyte, Madeleine Winch, Ainslie Wright, Caroline Zilinsky

Key Partner 

MidCoast Council in Partnership with the Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery  

Principal Sponsor

The Friends of the Manning Regional Art Gallery Inc extend sincere thanks to Dr Philip and Mrs Dusty Walkom OAM, Gallery Patrons and principal sponsors of the Naked & Nude Art Prize. Their continuing commitment and support of the arts is greatly appreciated.

Platinum Sponsors

In Memory of Mary Geraets

Harworth Holdings Pty Ltd, In memory of Debbie Scargill

Barry Schlenker, in memory of Helen Schlenker

Chris and Karen Larkin

Gold Sponsors

Cate and Mark Brathwaite

Alan and Jonathon Tickle | Your Heritage Financial Planning

Ashley and Kylie Cleaver | Cleavers Tyres

Mansfield on the Manning

Paula Lowndes

Corinthians (Seasonal Supplies), Emily Pow

Stacks Finance

Charles and Jan Everingham

Alana Parkins OAM and Norman Shapro

Laing+Simmons Manning Valley

Valued Sponsors

A Hopcroft

Dr Peter Braude

Johnson & Mongan

Mid North Coast Sleep Clinic

Maurie and Deidre Stack

Paton Hooke Lawyers & Conveyancing

C Rose