Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship 2004

Venue: Brett Whiteley Studio, 2 Raper St, Surry Hills, Sydney

Dates: to November 28, 2004

Cost: Adults - $7; students & concessions $5

Figure it out

After being a finalist in 2001 and 2002, Alan Jones from Victoria has won the 2004 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship. The prize was awarded to Jones (who incidentally is no relation to the talkback radio host of the same name) for his work Figure #II (2004).

Jones studied at the National Art School, Sydney; and has participated in several group and solo exhibitions. The prize will enable Jones to travel to Paris to pursue his career.

Commenting on the award, Jones said: "Paris is such a visually exciting and beautiful city. The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship will afford me the time to focus wholly on looking at the art in Paris, gathering and developing new ideas as well as getting my hands dirty. Knowing this leaves me feeling very privileged."

The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship is open to Australian artists aged between 20 and 30 years. The recipient is awarded $25,000 and a 3-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, which is administered by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The judges for the 2004 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship are artist Kevin Connor, Art Gallery of New South Wales Director, Edmund Capon and Barry Pearce, the Gallery's Head Curator of Australian Art. 136 entries were received from around Australia, of which 23 are included the finalists' exhibition.

Kevin Connor commented that Jones' work: "[H]as a great sense of design and demonstrates great consistency and depth of talent". He added, "I believe he would benefit greatly from a period in Paris where he should spend his time drawing, drinking coffee and soaking up all the art and atmosphere he possibly can. .... It is a dynamic painting ... and the deciding factor was the energy of his originality."

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