An evening of art and performance is taking over the Elston Room at Carriageworks to mark World Oceans Day on Thursday, June 8. Blue World presents the Valerie Taylor Art Prize for Ocean Advocacy – a new invitational annual art prize for Oceania's leading and most innovative artists who care about the degradation of our environment, in particular the damage being done to the mother of all life, the ocean.
This is an opportunity to check out new artworks inspired by oceans and climate activism by the likes of Dylan Mooney, Abdul Abdullah, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, Amrita Hepi, Angela Tiatia, Deborah Kelly, Ghost Net Collective, Joan Ross and others.
The first iteration of the art prize will be awarded at this event, which is free and open for members of the public to attend. The winning artist will receive $40,000 and all artworks are for sale, with half the proceeds going to the artists and the other half going to the Australian Marine Conservation Society – they are leading in the advocacy space around climate action to protect reefs, and are well placed to catalyse outsized impact with greater support.
Valerie Taylor, the internationally honoured, pioneering conservationist, photographer and filmmaker will graciously present this award. Valerie will share her wisdom in the hope of drawing more attention to this now urgent cause.
In addition to the exhibition opening and prize winner announcement, there will also be a performance from Sēini Taumoepeau, an orator and songwoman with an intersectional Oceanic-Pacific lens who is dedicated to extending the stories and narratives of Indigenous Oceania.
Find out more, RSVP and preview the available artworks here.
RECOMMENDED:
Check out the best art exhibitions to see in Sydney this month