Alumna Dr Megan Evans wins the 2019 Footscray Art Prize

Melbourne-based artist and Victoria University alumna Dr Megan Evans has been awarded the $10,000 Footscray Art Prize for her powerful photograph that examines the impact of colonisation on identity.

Her winning work, PARLOUR, was chosen from over 800 entries into the second iteration of the Prize, which first opened in 2017.

The biennial prize is a unique collaboration between Victoria University, Maribyrnong City Council, Footscray Community Arts Centre and the Rotary Club of Footscray. PARLOUR, along with winners in Street Art, Tertiary and Young Artist categories, can be seen in exhibitions held at Footscray Community Arts Centre and VU at MetroWest until 20 July 2019.

The judging panel - made up of ACMI’s Katrina Sedgwick, ACCA’s Hannah Presley and VCA’s Raafat Ishak - selected the winners after a full day of judging 33 shortlisted works, spanning photography, video, paintings, and sculpture. 

They recognised Megan Evans as an important artist at a significant point in her practise, and found themselves lost in the “complex storytelling that requires a sustained viewing” of her award-winning photograph. They continued:

“The responsibility she takes for her history is something deeply embedded in the power of the work.”

Evans is an interdisciplinary artist, working in video, photography, sculpture and installation. She began her creative life creating large political murals in the 1980s. Her socially engaged career has spanned several decades and practices, with her work featured in exhibitions and publications nationally and internationally.  She graduated from Victoria University in 2004 with a PhD. 

The panel also selected Dogs of the West, the light-hearted winner of the Street Art category and mum & me, a multilayered video work for the Tertiary category from a shortlist of 3 and 22 artworks respectively. Independent creative producer, Simon Spain, selected the winners of the young artist categories from over 160 artworks.

For more information about the exhibition and winning artworks visit www.footscrayartprize.com.

2019 Footscray Art Prize Winners

Footscray Art Prize winner (main prize)

Megan Evans
PARLOUR
Digital photograph

Highly Commended

Louis Theuma
Manhattan 1952
Installation: Pen, pencil, grey lead and marker

Street Art Prize winner

Justine McAllister
Dogs of the West

The artwork will be installed on the corner of Irving and Nicholson Streets over the coming weeks and will be able to be viewed from mid-late July.

Tertiary Prize winners

Natasha Krcevinac
mum & me
Video

Young Artist Prize winners - joint (secondary)

Ashlin Lyons
Unconditional
Painting

Jessie Sun
Overwhelmed
Painting

Young Artist Prize winner (primary)

Mayo Areej Fujieda
Dogs make us all happy
Porcelain clay